Bern – old town surrounded by the Aare

The medieval atmosphere of the city with its numerous fountains, sandstone facades, alleys and historic towers is unique in Bern. The most beautiful view of the old town surrounded by the Aare is the elevated rose garden above the Bären Park or the platform of the 101-meter- high cathedral tower.

Bern has many museums spread throughout the city. In the center on Hodlerstrasse is the art museum, which opened in 1879 and houses works from eight centuries. In the immediate vicinity is the “Progr”, the first high school and later Progymnasium in Bern, which today serves as an exhibition and event location.

In the Kirchenfeld near Helvetiaplatz are the Historical Museum, originally planned as a state museum, which, in addition to its collection, also shows temporary exhibitions and set up the Einstein Museum in 2005, the Swiss Alpine Museum and the Kunsthalle, which shows several individual and group exhibitions dedicated to contemporary art every year. Not far away are the Museum of Communication and the Natural History Museum, which belongs to the Burgergemeinde, with its diorama show.

In 2015, cycling in Bern accounted for 15% of the choice of means of transport, measured as the share of journeys as the main means of transport. The city is planning to create a star-shaped network of main cycling routes that will connect the city centre with the agglomeration.