Neighbourhood · UNESCO
Old Town of Bern
Bern, Switzerland
A medieval, arcaded old town inside a loop of the Aare, protected as a World Heritage Site.
Square · Switzerland · Bern
Bundesplatz and Federal Palace
The square in front of Switzerland's parliament, with a fountain display and a grand domed building.
Free to enter about 45 min
For storytellers
Why Bundesplatz and Federal Palace matters
The Federal Palace houses the Swiss parliament and government, and in front of it Bundesplatz is a wide square with ground-level fountain jets that kids love running through in summer. Guided tours of the building are possible when parliament is not in session. It is a good chance to see how Swiss democracy works up close.
Talking points
- Water jets spout from the paving in summer.
- The building hosts the Federal Assembly.
- Markets are often held on the square.
Free to read aloud or adapt in your video. Check facts that matter to you against an official source before you publish.
More in Bern
Tower · UNESCO
Zytglogge
Bern, Switzerland
Bern's medieval clock tower with an astronomical clock and a daily show of mechanical figures.
Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Bern Minster
Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland's tallest cathedral tower rises above the old town, with a view from the top.
Park
Bear Park
Bern, Switzerland
A riverside park where Bern's bears, the city's symbol, live beside the Aare.
Garden
Rosengarten Bern
Bern, Switzerland
A hillside rose garden with the classic panorama of Bern's old town.
Museum
Einstein House
Bern, Switzerland
A small museum in the apartment where Albert Einstein lived in Bern.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.