Bern is the ‘Bundesstadt’ or capital of Switzerland and the official language of Bern is the Swiss dialect of Standard German.
The history of the city’s name goes back and forth between a legend that says it got its name by the first animal the city’s founder had met while hunting – a bear, and the speculation that the city was named after a German name for Verona – Bern.
Today, Bern is a modern city, the capital of the second most inhabited canton in Switzerland and one of the top ten cities for the best quality of life in the world.
The city is probably best known by the scientist Albert Einstein, as his groundbreaking theory of relativity was created while he was living in Bern.
Bern is home to 114 Swiss heritage sites of national significance.
Basel is full of places for relaxing and strolling such as the banks of the Rhine, beautiful parks, and the botanical gardens.
The old town also features a magnificent, covered shopping promenade, with six kilometers in length – one of the longest in Europe.
Bern hosts many museums such as the Historical Museum of Bern – the second largest historical museum in Switzerland, and the Einstein Museum.
The most important collection of works made by Paul Klee resides in an unusually shaped building – the Paul Klee Center.
Probably the most important site – for everyone – is the Einstein House, a flat at the Kramgasse 49 where Albert Einstein lived with his wife from 1903 to 1905.
You can also visit the Einstein Museum, dedicated to the life of Albert Einstein and his work as he discovered the Theory of Relativity while living in Bern.
Be sure to visit a beautiful garden on the hill above the city – the Rose Garden (Rosengarten), and enjoy an amazing view of the medieval town center.
The city of Bern cherishes a historic link with bears since the 16th century.
Legends say the city was named after a bear, hence the bear is featured in the city’s coat of arms, and real bears live in the Bear Park.
