Bern

For other uses, see Bern (disambiguation).

"Berne" redirects here. For other uses, see Berne (disambiguation).

Bern Berne
Aerial view of the Old City Aerial view of the Old City
Template:Infobox settlement/columns
Location of Bern Berne Template:Infobox mapframe
Coordinates:
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Bern
District	Bern-Mittelland administrative district
Government
• Executive	Gemeinderat with 5 members
• Mayor	Stadtpräsident (list) Alec von Graffenried GFL (as of January 2017)
• Parliament	Stadtrat with 80 members
Area
• Total	Template:Infobox settlement/metric
Elevation (Bahnhofplatz)	Template:Infobox settlement/metric
Highest elevation (Könizberg)	Template:Infobox settlement/metric
Lowest elevation (Aare near to Eymatt)	Template:Infobox settlement/metric
Population  (2017-12-31)
• Total
Demonym(s)	, ,
Postal code	3000–3030
SFOS number
Localities	Altenberg, Aaregg, Bümpliz, Bethlehem, Beundenfeld, Bottigen, Breitenrain, Breitfeld, Brunnadern, Dählhölzli, Engeried, Gäbelbach, Grosser Bremgartenwald, Gryphenhübeli, Felsenau, Holligen, Innere Stadt, Kirchenfeld, Könizbergwald, Länggasse, Lorraine, Muesmatt, Murifeld, Neufeld, Sandrain, Schosshalde, Spitalacker, Stöckacker, Tiefenau, Wankdorf, Weissenbühl, Weissenstein
Surrounded by	Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen
Website	www.bern.ch SFSO statistics

Bern is the capital city of Switzerland. It is also the capital of the canton of Bern.

As of early 2006, 127.000 people live in the city.

History

Bern was started in 1191 by Berchthold V. von Zähringen. A legend says that he said he would name the city after the next animal he caught. So when he caught a bear (German: "Bär") the city was named Bern. Zähringen built the city in the half-circle the river Aare makes.

Traffic

Public streetcars and buses are run by an organization called BernMobil. There are 3 streetcar lines and about 15 bus lines. Most of the lines are in the city but some travel away from the city. There is also the Marzilibahn, a funicular (inclined- or cliff-railway) which goes from the banks of the Aare up to the Federal Building (German: "Bundeshaus"). The Marzilibahn is 105 meters long. It is the shortest funicular in Europe. Another funicular, called the Gurtenbahn, goes from the section of Bern called Wabern, which is on the river Aare, up to the top of Gurten, a large hill 585 meters high that is just south of Bern. A small airport, Belpmoos, is located a short distance south of Bern in Belp.

Folk Festivals

Zibelemärit (onion market)

Each year, on the 4th Monday in November, there is the Onion Market in Bern, where onions are sold. Many people visit the market in the early morning and throw confetti. They also hit other people with hammers made out of plastic

Aareleuchten (glowing Aare)

Since 1996, every August 1 (a national holiday in Switzerland) they hold the Aareleuchten. The Aareleuchten is paid for by SwissAid. During the festival, people put small ships with a light in them into the river Aare. All of these small lights make the Aare "glow."

Gallery

• Parlement of Bern.JPG

  The Swiss parliament building in Bern

• The cathedral- Das Münster.JPG

  View towards the cathedral called "Münster"

• Suisse 2005 Berne fontaine arquebusier.jpg

  One of the many fountains in the old part of the city

• Aare river in Bern.jpg

  View over the river Aare towards the modern part of the city.

• Suisse 2005 Berne aare 2.jpg

  Another picture of the Aare in Bern