Bern
- Alternate uses: See Berne (disambiguation).
The city of Bern, English traditionally Berne (bÃÂûrn) (German Bern [bE6n, bErn], French Berne [bERn], Italian and Romansh Berna ['bErna]) is the capital of Switzerland.
Inhabitants: 127,000 (2004) (fourth most populous Swiss city after ZÃÂürich, Basel and Geneva).
Bern also functions as the capital of Bern canton, the second most populous of Switzerland's 26 cantonss.
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2 Sights 3 Transportation 4 Miscellaneous 5 External links |
History
Duke Berthold V of ZÃÂähringen founded the city on the River Aare in 1191 and allegedly named it after a bear (BÃÂär in German) he had killed. It was made an free imperial city by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1218 after Berthold died without an heir. In 1353 Bern joined the young Swiss Confederation, becoming a leading member of the new state. It invaded and conquered Aargau in 1415 and Vaud in 1536, as well as other smaller territories. It was occupied by French troops in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars, and was stripped of most of its territories. The city became the Swiss capital in 1848.
The Zytglogge
Sights
Bern's city centre is largely medieval and has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Perhaps its most famous sight is the Zytglogge, an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets. It also has an impressive 15th century Gothic cathedral, the MÃÂünster, and a 15th century town hall. Since the 16th century, the city has had a bear pit, which can be visited off the NydeggbrÃÂücke. The federal parliament building and administration building or Bundeshaus, dating from the 19th century, can also be visited.
The Rosengarten (German for: garden of roses) is a former cemetary which was 1913 converted into a park.
Transportation
The public transport works well in Bern, there are at the moment 3 tram lines and sever Bus lines which connect the different parts of the City. Bern Rail Station connects the City to the national and international train network. A little outside of Bern is Bern Airport.
Miscellaneous
Illustrious Bernese include the scientist Albrecht von Haller, the poet Albert Bitzius and the painters Ferdinand Hodler and Paul Klee. The German-born physicist Albert Einstein worked out his theory of relativity while employed as a clerk at the Bern patent office.
Bern has an University.