Bern

The city of Bern has a total population of 143,278. In the agglomeration of Bern, which includes 70 municipalities, the permanent resident population is 419,983.

In 1983, Bern's Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Founded in 1191, the Zähringerstadt has been partially preserved in its original form with its characteristic arcades. In addition, Bern is one of the most visited centres of national and international city tourism.

Bern has many museums spread throughout the city. In the center on Hodlerstrasse is the Kunstmuseum, opened in 1879, the oldest art museum in Switzerland, with a permanent collection that houses works spanning eight centuries. Nearby is the Progr", Bern's first grammar school and later progymnasium, which today serves as an exhibition and event venue.

In Kirchenfeld near Helvetiaplatz lie the Historisches Museum, which shows temporary exhibitions as well as its collection and in 2005 established the Einstein Museum the Swiss Alpine Museum and the Kunsthalle. Not far away are the Museum of Communication and the Natural History Museum.

The city of Bern has, among others, the alternative cultural centre Reitschule, the Dampfzentrale Bern (cultural centre for contemporary dance and music) and the youth centre Gaskessel. These centers offer theater and dance performances, parties, concerts, and a wide variety of exhibitions.

The most famous festival is the Gurtenfestival, which takes place in July on the Gurten. The festival, which features international music stars, is attended by tens of thousands and is one of the biggest in Switzerland.
Also in the summer there is the street music festival Buskers. In autumn, the International Short Film Festival shnit and the queer film festival "Queersicht" are held. In winter, the club BeJazz organizes a jazz festival.

Berne's main sight is its old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO justified Bern's inclusion on the World Heritage List by saying that, notwithstanding the changes the city has undergone since its founding in the 12th century, Bern "represents a positive example of how a city can retain its medieval structure and adapt to the increasingly complex functions it has to fulfil, in particular the tasks of a capital of a modern state."

At the end of the Old Town, after the Nydegg Bridge, is the Bear Pit. Bears, the symbolic animals of Bern, were kept here from 1858 to 2009. A new, larger Bear Park opened in October 2009. Above lies the Rosengarten with excellent views of the old town.