The artery that runs through its medieval sector is called Spittalgasse and offers a suggestive view of the characteristic arcaded houses lining it.
Under the ancient vaults nestle shops, antique dealers, small art galleries, the unmistakable cellars and atmospheric pubs. A microcosm to discover at leisure, with an eye also to the series of splendid fountains (Bern counts many, about fifteen of which are historic) with bright colors and lively spouts: one of these is the Pfeiferbrunnen, the piper’s fountain, a work by master Hans Gieng.
Must-see stops are the Bundesplatz, the heart of federal political life, as it houses the imposing Bundeshaus, seat of the Swiss government and parliament; Kramgasse with the splendid Clock Tower; the Kunstmuseum, an art museum rich in ancient and modern masterpieces; the Botanical Garden nestled on the right bank of the Aare, the river that skirts the city; the Franzosischekirche, the oldest Bernese church dating from the late 13th century, despite the Baroque facade; the famous bear pit, symbol animals (or rather, guardian spirits), around which a small crowd of curious visitors and children gather, busy throwing carrots and anything that might tempt the friendly plantigrades. Finally, the Cathedral of St. Vincent, one of the most significant examples of late Gothic architecture in Switzerland, and the galaxy of museums around Helvetiaplatz: Alpine Museum, Bern Historical Museum, the Shooting Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the monumental Swiss National Library, which houses over a million volumes, prints, and historic maps.
