It was founded at the end of the 12th century as an enclave of the Zähringer dynasty who, by building cities and castles, wanted to strengthen their position and influence in the pre-Alpine area. The name of the city refers to bears, a symbol on the coat of arms and a much-loved and protected animal.

The urban fabric of the Old City of Bern is governed by several long and parallel rows of houses, which run along the small peninsula formed by the pissing of the river. These streets, with almost a thousand years of history, are the shelter of many historic buildings, as well as the headquarters of the federal, cantonal and municipal governments.

Since 1983 it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO thanks to its practically intact medieval core, being an excellent example of the incorporation of the modern world into a medieval city.

The predominant architecture of the city is dominated by beautiful two-storey sandstone buildings, with reddish roofs and equipped with porticoes where the market was organized in medieval times. These arcades, called “Lauben”, now form a 6-kilometre network of arcades lined with boutiques, cafes and restaurants, making up one of the longest and most beautiful shopping malls in Europe.

Its main street, Kramgasse, is its central axis and, together with the Münsterplatz, Kornhausplatz and Bundesplatz squares, they bring together a large part of the beautiful tourist attractions of the city.

Dominating this beautiful picture, and highlighting its height, is the Bern Cathedral, the highest in the country. Along with it, it also highlights the Clock Tower, the Parliament of Bern and the Federal Palace of Switzerland, as well as a large collection of Renaissance fountains with allegorical figures scattered through its streets.

It is in this impressive atmosphere that the well-known scientist Albert Einstein lived and developed the Theory of Relativity at the beginning of the 20th century.

Welcome to Switzerland!