In the city of Bern, capital of Switzerland

 “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” ― Percy Bysshe Shelley

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(in west-central Switzerland) The city of Bern, capital of Switzerland, is found along a narrow loop of the Aare River. The existence of the ancient castle of Nydegg, guarding a crossing over the Aare, is said to have led Berthold V, duke of Zähringen, to establish Bern in 1191 as a military post on the frontier between the German-speaking Alemanni and the French-speaking inhabitants of Burgundy. After the extinction of the Zähringen dynasty, Bern became a free imperial city. It slowly extended its power by acquiring surrounding territory, becoming an independent state that in 1353 entered the Swiss Confederation, which it soon began to lead. After a huge fire ravaged the (mainly wood-built) town in 1405, Bern was rebuilt with sandstone. Although much of the surrounding metropolis has since been modernized, the center ("Old Bern") still remains intact from that period. (Bern became the political capital of the Swiss Confederation in 1848.)

+ Old Bern, connected by several bridges to newer parts of the city on the right bank, preserves more of its medieval appearance than any other Swiss city. It is characterized by 2.3 square miles (6 square km) of covered arcades, towers, and 16th-century fountains. The Gothic cathedral, with its 100-meter spire (the highest in Switzerland) is the dominant landmark. Also notable are the City Hall (Rathaus) and the Nydegg Church. The Bundeshaus (Federal Palace) houses the Swiss federal parliament -- and the offices of the federal government. The famous Clock Tower (Zeitglockenturm), with a 16th-century clock and mechanical puppets that perform four minutes before every hour, and the Cage Tower (Käfigturm) are the two remaining towers of the old walls that once protected the city. A favorite decorative motif is the bear, which commemorates the legend of the first animal killed by Berthold V in the year the city was founded. Perhaps the most famous landmark is the bear pit, where bears have been kept on display at the city’s expense since 1480. (Old Bern was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.) The University of Bern incorporates the Theological School (founded in 1528). The City (and University) Library contains many manuscripts and rare books. The Swiss National Library is also in Bern, as is the headquarters of the Swiss National Bank. The Museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum), opened in 1879, houses the world’s largest collection of works by the Swiss painter Paul Klee -- a total of more than 2,000 items.

+ Bern’s flag-festooned, cobbled center, rebuilt in distinctive grey-green sandstone after the devastating fire in 1405, is an aesthetic delight, with its six kilometers of covered arcades, cellar shops and bars, and fantastical folk figures, frolicking on 16th-century fountains. (A powerful force since medieval times, the thriving Swiss capital is now quite an appealing city of museums and collections.)