The fourth largest city in Switzerland, Bern lies in the west of the country at a convergence of routes leading to Geneva in the far west, Zurich to the east and Basel in the extreme north of the country. It has been Switzerland’s political centre since the mid-nineteenth century.
Many people seem to assume that Zurich is the capital of Switzerland. Forgivable, as it is certainly the largest Swiss city by a factor of about two. But it isn’t the capital. Switzerland, in fact, doesn’t have an official capital, the closest thing it has is Bern – the seat of federal government for almost 170 years. The Swiss House of Parliament is a grand purpose-built structure, started in 1852 and added to piecemeal for the next fifty years. The National Council and Council of States meet there to sit in session four times a year.
Those coming to stay in serviced apartments in Bern will find it much like many Swiss cities in one sense… the abundance of old buildings. Founded in 1191, yet spared the destruction that the twentieth century visited upon many Western European cities, it can boast some 114 national heritage sites. Bern is steeped in history and culture; the entire Old Town is an Unesco World Heritage site, it has the country’s tallest cathedral and was home to Albert Einstein for about two years, whose old flat can be toured as it once was. Not surprisingly, tourism is a large part of the local economy. Also worthy of note are Bern’s historic contributions to the sweet tooth of Europe. These include Ovomaltine (better known by some as Ovaltine) and the Toblerone chocolate bar.
Travel Management Companies