The artery that runs through the medieval sector is called Spittalgasse and offers a suggestive glimpse of the characteristic arcaded houses that line it.
Beneath the ancient vaults nest shops, antique stores, small art galleries, unmistakable cellars, and atmospheric little bars. A microcosm to discover at a leisurely pace, with an eye also to the series of splendid fountains (Bern has many of them, including about fifteen historic ones) with bright colors and lively sprays: one of these is the Pfeiferbrunnen, the bagpiper’s fountain, a work by master Hans Gieng.
Stops not to miss are the Bundesplatz, the heart of federal political life, as it hosts the imposing Bundeshauser, seat of the Swiss government and parliament; Kramgasse with the splendid Clock Tower; the Kunstmuseum, a museum of fine arts rich in ancient and modern masterpieces; the Botanical Garden nestled on the right bank of the Aare, the river that borders the city; the Franzosischekirche, the oldest Bernese church, from the late 13th century, despite its Baroque facade; the famous bear pit, symbolic animals (or rather, tutelary deities), around which a small crowd of curious people and children gather, busy throwing carrots and anything that may 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, Shooting Museum, the Natural History Museum and the monumental Swiss National Library, which houses over a million volumes, prints, and historic maps.
