Bern, Switzerland (Part I: Old Town)

A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Many people are probably unaware that the capital of Switzerland is Bern. Geneva, Zurich and Basel, Switzerland's more famous cities, probably come to mind first.

In the year 1191 Duke Berchtold the Fifth of Zähringen founded the city of Bern on a protected river peninsula and fortified the city with a moat, a circular wall and a defense tower. In the course of the centuries the city was enlarged several times beyond the limits of the fortifications. The defense tower, which was all of a sudden located in the middle of the city, was re-built as a clock tower after the fire of 1405, and from that time onwards was called the "Zytglogge" (time clock). This is where the Old Town begins, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

This photograph was taken from the Rosengarten (Rose Garden), which sits across the river Aare to the East. This is Bern's Old Town.  The tall structure you see in the distance is the spire from the Münster Cathedral. The view from the Cathedral's spire is breathtaking but we are getting ahead of ourselves.

The train from Geneva takes a little more than an hour. You are greeted with the plaza, Bahnhofplatz, as you step outside the main train station. Walking east along the Spittalgasse, you will encounter Bern's many fountains.

Left to Right: (1) Pfeiferbrunnen fountain; (2) Zahringer fountain, I think; (3) I forget; and (4) Lady Justice Fountain

As you walk along the six kilometer long promenade, Spittalgasse melds into Marktgasse (the main street of Old Town Bern), then into Kramgasse. Saturday was a lively day in Bern.  You will encounter locals selling a wide variety of wares in the markets in the different plazas.

(I may need this dreamcatcher after I dreamt of passing away in a vehicular accident last night.)

The Zytgloggeturm, as the clock tower is known, sits at the end of Spittalgasse at the plaza Kornhausplatz. This served as the town's west gate from 1191 to 1250. The Zytgloggeturm begins to chime 4 minutes before every hour.  This is not just a simple clock.  As with many Swiss timepieces, this clock has certain complications which show the position of the sun, moon, constellations and planets every hours, along with the month, date and day of the week. More amazing is the fact that this was introduced in 1530.

End of Part I.