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113-758: The Federal Palace is a building in Bern housing the Swiss Federal Assembly (legislature) and the Federal Council (executive). It is the seat of the government of Switzerland and parliament of the country. The building is a listed symmetrical complex just over 300 metres (980 ft) long. It is considered one of the most important historic buildings in the country and listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Assets of National Importance. It consists of three interconnected buildings in

226-539: A 'profane' staircase. Auer had taken his cue from the United States Capitol , arguing that the dome crowns Parliament as a whole and does not favor either council. The federal administration and parliamentarians liked Auer's dome motif. In 1887, the Federal Assembly overrode the decision of the jury and awarded the building contract for Federal Palace East to Auer. It passed over Bluntschli on

339-549: A ceremony. In the summer and fall of 2011, the Council of States hall was renovated, and from September 2012 to March 2016, the renovation of the Federal House East took place to conclude the project. In addition to a selective renovation of the building exterior, this included a comprehensive renovation of the interiors with a clean-up of the room structures, and renewal of the building and security technology. During

452-572: A daily maximum temperature of 24.3 °C (75.7 °F). The highest temperature recorded at Bern / Zollikofen is 37.0 °C (98.6 °F), recorded in August 2003 . On average, a temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) or above is recorded 40.7 days per year, and 6 days per year with a temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) or above at Zollikofen, and the warmest day reaches an average of 32.1 °C (89.8 °F). There are 103.7 days of air frost, and 22.3 ice days per year at Bern (Zollikofen) for

565-597: A major river of the Swiss Plateau . Although fortified settlements were established since antiquity, the medieval city proper was founded by the Zähringer ruling family, probably in 1191 by Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen . Bern was made a free imperial city in 1218 and, in 1353, it joined the Swiss Confederacy , becoming one of its eight early cantons. Since then, Bern became a large city-state and

678-611: A member of the Municipal Council. Contrary to most other municipalities, the executive government in Bern is selected by means of a system of Proporz . The mayor is elected as such as well by public election while the heads of the other directorates are assigned by the collegiate. The executive body holds its meetings in the Erlacherhof , built by architect Albrecht Stürler after 1747. As of 2021 , Bern's Municipal Council

791-462: A new design. Studer, who had not participated in the competition, adopted Stadler's original design and reintroduced the staggering while strengthening the round-arched style instead of toning it down. The revision found favor and Studer was awarded the building contract. After the terrace had been filled in, the foundation stone was laid on 21 September 1852. The ceremonial handover took place on 5 June 1857 following five years of construction. In 1858,

904-588: A plaster model, which was presented to the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects in 1895 and exhibited at the National Exhibition in Geneva the following year. Auer intended to represent Switzerland symbolically in the parliament building through the use of stone deposits all over the country. In order to realize this goal, he assigned a central role to this ideal in his planning. This goal

1017-530: A prominent actor of Swiss history by pursuing a policy of sovereign territorial expansion. Since the 15th century, the city was progressively rebuilt and acquired its current characteristics. Bern was made the Federal City in 1848. From about 5,000 inhabitants in the 15th century, the city passed the 100,000 mark in the 1920s. The etymology of the name "Bern" is uncertain. According to the local legend, based on folk etymology , Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen ,

1130-595: A settlement on the site of today's city centre prior to the 12th century has been found so far. In antiquity, a Celtic oppidum stood on the Engehalbinsel (peninsula) north of Bern, fortified since the second century BC (late La Tène period ), thought to be one of the 12 oppida of the Helvetii mentioned by Caesar . During the Roman era , a Gallo-Roman vicus was on the same site. The Bern zinc tablet has

1243-730: A thousand million years: the crystalline basement of the Aarmassif and Gotthard Massif mountain ranges, the Helvetic and Penninic nappes, the Southern Alps , the limestone of the Jura Mountains , and the molasses of the Swiss Plateau . The elaborate handling of these rocks is unique in the history of Swiss architecture. Auer also planned the rest of the design of the Federal Palace, personally selecting most of

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1356-403: Is State Chronicler ( Staatsschreiber ) since 2008. He has been elected by the collegiate. The Stadtrat of Bern for the mandate period of 2021–2024: The City Council (de: Stadtrat , fr: Conseil de ville ) holds legislative power . It is made up of 80 members, with elections held every four years. The City Council decrees regulations and by-laws that are executed by the Municipal Council and

1469-585: Is also the capital of the canton of Bern , the second-most populous of Switzerland's cantons . The official language is German , but the main spoken language is the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect, Bernese German . In 1983, the historic old town (in German : Altstadt ) in the centre of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage Site . It is notably surrounded by the Aare ,

1582-525: Is based on the history, constitutional foundations and cultural diversity of Switzerland, as well as stone used from all parts of the country, underline the character of the parliament building as a national monument. The Federal Palace is located on the south-western edge of the Old City , a UNESCO World Heritage Site , on a fortification of the slope to the Marzili district  [ de ] known as

1695-406: Is devoted to transport infrastructure. Power and water infrastructure, as well as other special developed areas, made up 1.2% of the city, while another 6.5% consists of parks, green belts, and sports fields. Of Bern's total land area, 32.8% is heavily forested. Of the agricultural land, 13.3% is used for growing crops and 4.4% is designated to be used as pasture. Local rivers and streams provide all

1808-520: Is dominated by a domed hall in the layout of a Swiss cross . It separates the two chambers of the National Council (south) and the Council of States (north). The dome itself has an external height of 64 metres (210 ft) that was exceptional at the time, but chosen to balance the total length of the three buildings. The mosaic in the center represents the federal coat of arms along with

1921-520: Is largely medieval and has been recognised by UNESCO as a Cultural World Heritage Site . Perhaps its most famous sight is the Zytglogge (Bernese German for "Time Bell"), an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets. It also has an impressive 15th century Gothic cathedral, the Münster , and a 15th-century town hall. Thanks to 6 kilometres (4 miles) of arcades, the old town boasts one of

2034-454: Is made up of two representatives of the SP ( Social Democratic Party ), and one each of CVP ( Christian Democratic Party ), GFL ( Grüne Freie Liste a.k.a. Green Free List, who is the newly elected mayor since 2017), and GB ( Green Alliance of Bern ), giving the left parties a very strong majority of four out of five seats. The last regular election was held on 29 November 2020. Dr. Jürg Wichtermann

2147-468: Is the de facto capital of Switzerland , referred to as the " federal city ". With a population of about 133,000 (as of 2022 ), Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland, behind Zürich , Geneva , Basel and Lausanne . The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000. Bern

2260-548: Is today the canton of Bern and the canton of Vaud . The city grew out towards the west of the boundaries of the peninsula formed by the river Aare . The Zytglogge tower marked the western boundary of the city from 1191 until 1256, when the Käfigturm took over this role until 1345. It was succeeded by the Christoffelturm (formerly located closer to the site of the modern-day railway station) until 1622. During

2373-467: Is used for agricultural purposes, while 17.21 km (6.64 sq mi) or 33.3% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 23.76 km (9.17 sq mi) or 46.0% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.08 km (0.42 sq mi) or 2.1% is either rivers or lakes, and 0.14 km (0.054 sq mi) or 0.3% is unproductive land. Of the developed area of Bern, 3.1% consists of industrial buildings, 22.3% housing and other buildings, and 12.9%

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2486-746: The 2015 federal election for the Swiss National Council the most popular party was the PS which received 34.3% of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the Green Party (17.4%), the UDC (12.4%), and the FDP/PLR (9.9%), glp/pvl (9.4%), and the BDP/PBD (7.0%). In the federal election, a total of 48,556 voters were cast, and the voter turnout was 56.0%. The Municipal Council of

2599-404: The 2019 federal election for the Swiss National Council the most popular party was the PS which received 28.7% (-5.6) of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the Green Party (25.2%, +7.9), the pvl (13.5%, +4.1), the UDC (9.5%, -2.9), PLR (4.2%, -2.8), and the BDP/PBD (7.0%). In the federal election a total of 49,030 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 56%. In

2712-556: The Bavarian State Library , as a model. Some critics disliked the staggering of the building and the continuous round arches. Stadler was put off by the objections and revised his design, adding classical elements. The revised design, however, met with even less approval. On 23 June 1851, the Bern City Council decided to commission the master builder Jakob Friedrich Studer  [ de ] to prepare

2825-463: The Bern zinc tablet in the 1980s, it is now more common to assume that the city was named after a pre-existing toponym of Celtic origin, possibly *berna "cleft". The bear was the heraldic animal of the seal and coat of arms of Bern from at least the 1220s. The earliest reference to the keeping of live bears in the Bärengraben dates to the 1440s. No archaeological evidence that indicates

2938-636: The Berna fountain  [ de ] was erected in the cour d'honneur of the Federal Town Hall, and a statue added five years later. The decorations in the council chambers were very sparse due to cost constraints. August Hövemeyer  [ de ] and his brother Ludwig painted four allegorical murals in the National Council Chamber and added ornamental designs. In 1861, the cantons donated coat-of-arms panels for

3051-594: The Catholic Church . Of the rest of the population, there were 1,874 members of an Orthodox church (or about 1.46% of the population), there were 229 persons (or about 0.18% of the population) who belonged to the Christ Catholic Church , and there were 5,531 persons (or about 4.30% of the population) who belonged to another Christian religion. There were 324 persons (or about 0.25% of the population) who were Jewish , and 4,907 (or about 3.81% of

3164-663: The Federal Chancellery and the Parliamentary Library; the Federal Council also holds its meetings here. Two other departments have their headquarters in the east wing on Kochergasse. The sobriety of the two wings corresponds to their main purpose as administrative buildings, contrasting with the more monumental parliament building constructed in neo-Renaissance style with a portico and a striking dome. The rich artistic decoration whose symbolism

3277-502: The Latin motto Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno ( One for all, and all for one ), surrounded by the coat of arms of the 22 cantons that existed in 1902. The coat of arms of the Canton of Jura , created in 1979, was later placed outside of the mosaic. The hall is dominated by the sculpture The Three Confederates (Die drei Eidgenossen ) created by James André Vibert and referring to

3390-770: The Reichstag building in Berlin) also participated in the jury. Bluntschli was aware that the Federal Palace East had created a fait accompli and that without a dome, the parliament building would hardly stand out among the symmetrical buildings. He abandoned his architectural restraint and tried to outdo his competitor with a pompous domed building reminiscent of the Palais du Trocadéro in Paris. In comparison, Auer's design appeared moderate and restrained. Nevertheless,

3503-1194: The Stadthaus (Town Hall). The last regular election of the City Council was held on 29 November 2020 for the mandate period ( German : Legislatur , French : la législature ) from 2021 to 2024. The City Council consist of 23 (-1) members of the Social Democratic Party (SP/PS) including two seats by the junior party JUSO , 11 (+3) Green Liberal Party (glp/pvl) including two member of its junior party jglp , 10 (+1) Green Alliance of Bern (GB) , 8 (-1) The Liberals (FDP/PLR) including one seat by its junior partner JF / DL , 7 (-2) Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) , 7 (-1) Grüne Freie Liste (GFL) (Green Free List), 3 (+1) Junge Alternative (JA!) (or Young Alternatives), 3 (+1) Alternative Linke Bern (AL) , 2 (-1) Conservative Democratic Party (BDP/PBD) , 2 (-) Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP/PDC) , 2 (-) Evangelical People's Party (EVP/PEV) , 1 (-) Swiss Party of Labour (PdA) , and 1 Grüne alternative Partei (GaP) (or Green alternative Party). In

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3616-441: The Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects  [ de ] (SIA), but which had no influence on the project, judged the three first-place designs in reverse order of precedence. The losing competitors were assigned the central wing to the council chambers and the side wings to the administration. Dähler and Franel designed the larger National Council chamber in the form of an amphitheater . While Dähler had it protrude from

3729-539: The Thirty Years' War , two new fortifications – the so-called big and small Schanze (entrenchments) – were built to protect the whole area of the peninsula. After a major blaze in 1405, the city's original wooden buildings were gradually replaced by half-timbered houses, and subsequently the sandstone buildings which came to be characteristic for the Old Town. Despite waves of pestilence that hit Europe in

3842-475: The executive government of the City of Bern and operates as a collegiate authority . It is composed of five councillors ( German : Gemeinderat/-rätin , French : conseiller/conseillère municipal(e) ), each presiding over a directorate (de: Direktion , fr: direction ) comprising several departments and bureaus. The president of the executive department acts as mayor (de: Stadtpräsident , fr: Le Maire ). In

3955-692: The national parliament , government and part of the federal administration, can also be visited. Albert Einstein lived in a flat at the Kramgasse 49, the site of the Einsteinhaus , from 1903 to 1905, the year in which the Annus Mirabilis papers were published. Franz Beer Born in Au im Bregenzerwald in Vorarlberg , Beer was apprenticed to Michael Thumb . His first major project

4068-450: The socialist First and Second Internationals were held in Bern, particularly during World War I when Switzerland was neutral; see Bern International . The city's population rose from about 5,000 in the 15th century to about 12,000 by 1800 and to above 60,000 by 1900, passing the 100,000 mark during the 1920s. Population peaked during the 1960s at 165,000 and has since decreased slightly, to below 130,000 by 2000. As of September 2017,

4181-595: The tympanum of the Parliament building, was inaugurated on 12 September 2023. The title of the work is a tribute to the first black National Councillor Tilo Frey . The work was designed by the artist duo Renée Levi and Marcel Schmid, and implemented by hand by a ceramics manufacturer in Sarnen . As reported in a study by the Federal parliamentary services ( Parlamentsdienste ), the noise caused by human activities in

4294-555: The "surroundings of Bern have a wealth of the best and most beautiful sandstone". The official jury consisted of the architects Melchior Berri, Ludwig Friedrich Osterrieth, Robert Roller and Gustav Albert Wegmann  [ de ] , as well as the building inspector Bernhard Wyss. Out of 37 submitted designs, that of Ferdinand Stadler emerged victorious. The jury awarded three further prizes: second place went to Felix Wilhelm Kubly  [ de ] , third to Johann Carl Dähler, and fourth to Jean Franel. A special jury appointed by

4407-603: The 14th century, the city continued to grow, mainly due to immigration from the surrounding countryside. During the 18th century, the city of Bern was at one point the largest shareholder in the South Sea Company , a British joint-stock company which was involved in the Atlantic slave trade . From 1689 to 3 March 1798 in the town was printed, in French , the biweekly newspaper Gazette de Berne , which reflected

4520-507: The 1960s. In numerous rooms, vaults, ceilings and wall partitions were covered up or demolished. Coloured wallpaper was painted over with white paint and stucco replaced with plasterboard . In 1965, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation began operating radio and television transmissions on the third floor above the Council of States hall, which required the installation of a massive, wide-span concrete ceiling. Since

4633-491: The 38 Swiss artists who carried out the work and obliging them to work according to his detailed specifications. His approach corresponded to that of his teacher Theophil Hansen , who had also drawn up and rigorously enforced an iconographic program for the parliament building in Vienna . Auer did not have a free hand in selecting the all the artists. Federal Councillor Adrien Lachenal , whose Federal Department of Home Affairs

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4746-576: The Confederation announced an architectural competition on 23 February 1885, with Louis Bezencenet, James Édouard Collin, Johann Christoph Kunkler  [ de ] , Heinrich Viktor von Segesser, and Arnold Geiser, as well as Arnold Flückiger, adjunct of the Superintendent of Buildings, serving as judges. Of 36 designs submitted, the one by Alfred Friedrich Bluntschli won first prize and Hans Wilhelm Auer second. Bluntschli weighted

4859-592: The Council of States Hall, but these were removed just ten years later due to unfavorable lighting conditions. A commission headed by Federal Councillor Jakob Dubs proposed transforming the Federal Council Chamber into a national museum which would exhibit historical paintings and busts of famous Swiss personalities. The Council of States approved this proposal in 1865, but the National Council rejected it twice in 1866. The building owner,

4972-410: The Federal Council commissioned the city authorities to survey suitable locations for a central building. The building was to accommodate the halls of both chambers of parliament, rooms for the Federal Council, 96 offices and the chancellor 's apartment. Based on several suggestions, the Federal Council decided in favor of the area of the municipal timber yard next to the "casino", on the southern edge of

5085-687: The Federal Palace West from 1895), nine different types of stone were used in the interior of Federal Palace East. The extensive construction project offered the opportunity to upgrade the Federal Superstructure Inspectorate to the Directorate for Federal Buildings, from which the modern-day Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics is established. In 1891, the architects Auer and Bluntschli received an invitation to another architectural competition. At

5198-516: The Federal Palace blends into the cityscape due to the use of Bernese sandstone  [ de ] for the facades. The other buildings in the old town are also made of this building material, which has a greenish-grey colour. The Federal Palace is flanked by the former Hotel Bernerhof  [ de ] in the west and the Hotel Bellevue Palace in the east, which is also the official residence for state guests. In addition to

5311-719: The Federal Palace, the cantonal bank building  [ de ] and the building of the Swiss National Bank border the federal square. The mountain station of the Marzili Funicular , which leads down to the Marzili district, is located on the Bundesterrasse between Federal Palace West and the Bernerhof . The old University Hospital of Bern , built between 1718 and 1724 according to plans by

5424-585: The Federal Terrace. The building complex extends over a length of just over 300 meters and consists of three parts: the Federal Palace West on Bundesgasse  [ de ] , the Parliament Building on Bundesplatz and the Federal Palace East on Kochergasse . While the Federal Palace East is aligned from east to west, the other two parts of the building are each angled slightly to the south-west. Despite its size and dominant position,

5537-594: The Old City and on the upper edge of the slope down to the Aare river . An architectural competition hosted by the municipal council began on 8 April 1850 for the Federal Town Hall. In a desire to avoid burdening Bern's citizens with extra loans and special taxes, the tender was deliberately thrifty and focused on cost savings. The proposed building was to be dignified but still as functional and simple as possible. Competitors were asked to avoid "useless splendor and exaggerated dimensions" and to use Bernese sandstone since

5650-431: The Old City. The Burgergemeinde Bern  [ de ] was a public corporation representing the city's citizens and the powerful patriciates  [ de ] , and thus the superior municipality during the period. With a narrow majority, their assembly accepted the election of Bern as the federal city. However, it also transferred responsibility for the construction of the parliament and government building to

5763-415: The administration using the Federal Palace led to ever greater organizational problems. Parliamentarians complained about the lack of rooms for meetings and secretariats, and that their individual workplaces were located too far away from the council chambers on the top floor of the Federal Palace East. A complete renovation of the building services was put on the agenda. The renovation was aimed should satisfy

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5876-425: The administration. The delegates are selected by means of a system of proportional representation . The sessions of the City Council are public. Unlike members of the Municipal Council, members of the City Council are not politicians by profession, and they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Bern allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the City Council. The parliament holds its meetings in

5989-410: The architecture according to the task of the buildings. In this respect, the new Federal Palace East was to be a compact, modest administrative wing and the parliament building was to have the form of a strictly classical Greek round temple . Auer, on the other hand, did not adopt a hierarchical structure. He designed a symmetrical building complex that included the Federal Town Hall as the west wing. For

6102-514: The architecture of the Federal Palace. Other materiel from Swiss quarries include marble, sandstone, gneiss , granite, and serpentinite . Carrara marble and Savonnières limestone  [ fr ] from Belgium, France and Italy were used for sculptures. No fewer than 30 types of stone from 13 different cantons and half-cantons were used in the construction of the building. Almost all of Switzerland's tectonic structural units are represented, dating back in geological history between five and

6215-455: The attic spaces were also being used increasingly intensively, it seemed appropriate to wall up the lunette windows facing the domed hall. As a result, natural light no longer entered, giving the hall a gloomy appearance. In 1991, the National Council commission charged with drafting parliamentary reform decided to examine a far-reaching expansion of the parliament's premises. In a project competition, Mario Botta 's proposal for an extension in

6328-553: The baroque master Franz Beer , stood on the site of today's Federal Palace East. When the hospital was demolished in 1888, the remains of the walls of the medieval monastery St. Michael zur Insel also revealed a Jewish tombstone, and another in 1901 when the Bundesplatz was created. These tombstones belonged to a cemetery ( Judenkilchhof ) that had been expropriated and sold in 1294 after the Jews had been expelled. An information board

6441-414: The building as a roof crown, Franel planned a semicircular bulge in the facade. Kubly recognized that, unlike previous new European parliament buildings, two equal councils had to be considered and therefore abandoned the overly dominant semicircle in favor of two rectangular halls. A common theme in all three projects was the placement of both halls on the central axis, which led to unfavorable proportions of

6554-457: The casino property from the city, after which construction began on the parliament building on 5 September 1894. The Federal Terrace on the south side was extended, but not all the way to the Kirchenfeld Bridge  [ de ] as originally planned. On 11 April 1900, the erection of the large dome was celebrated. The handover of the parliament building took place on the morning of 1 April 1902 in an official ceremony. The construction costs for

6667-449: The central tract. Stadler, on the other hand, was able to convince a horseshoe-shaped layout. He allocated the central wing to the Federal Council and the administration and relegated the parliamentary chambers to the projecting side wings. In addition, he oriented himself stylistically not to classicism , but to the novel round-arched style of neo-Romanesque architecture . He used the buildings on Ludwigstrasse in Munich , in particular

6780-550: The chamber of the National Council is clearly too loud. The previously undisclosed study was published by 10vor10 on 12 December 2014, pointing that the noise level is usually at a level of about 70 decibels , comparable to a used roadway, so concentration of work for politicians is not possible. 46°56′48″N 7°26′39″E  /  46.94667°N 7.44417°E  / 46.94667; 7.44417 Bern Bern ( Swiss Standard German: [bɛrn] ), or Berne ( French: [bɛʁn] ),

6893-447: The city of Bern decided against having twinned cities except for a temporary (during the UEFA Euro 2008 ) cooperation with the Austrian city Salzburg . Bern has a population (as of December 2020 ) of 134,794. About 34% of the population are resident foreign nationals. Over the 10 years between 2000 and 2010, the population changed at a rate of 0.6%. Migration accounted for 1.3%, while births and deaths accounted for −2.1%. Most of

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7006-450: The city of Bern, placed far greater value on properly functioning building services than on ostentation. Steam heating from Sulzer guaranteed warmth in all rooms even in winter. Of particular note in the otherwise sober building were the candelabras lit by gas lighting . The municipal gasworks was located below the Bundesterrasse from 1841 to 1876 and thus in the immediate vicinity. A project by Frank Buchser did not come to fruition:

7119-437: The city to provide sufficient working space for the numerous new federal offices but Bern was unable meet this demand. In 1876, the city therefore ceded the Federal Town Hall and the responsibility for extensions and new buildings to the Confederation. In 1861, the third floor of the central wing was opened to the Bernese Art Society. The transfer of its collection to the new Museum of Fine Arts in 1879 only temporarily alleviated

7232-413: The construction rate of new housing units was 1.2 new units per 1000 residents. As of 2003 the average price to rent an average apartment in Bern was 1108.92 Swiss francs (CHF) per month (US$ 890, £500, €710 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 619.82 CHF (US$ 500, £280, €400), a two-room apartment was about 879.36 CHF (US$ 700, £400, €560), a three-room apartment

7345-452: The direction of the architectural firm Aebi & Vincent. Taking inflation and various additional costs, the final cost was 103 million Swiss francs. On the third floor, workrooms for parliamentarians, meeting rooms for parliamentary groups and a multifunctional conference hall were created. The lunette windows (lit in the back by skylights ) were also opened, interior walls cleaned, cracks repaired, and recent furnishings removed, transforming

7458-407: The dome space to form a Greek cross , he removed the character of a vestibule. He designed the staircase as a bridge-like structure standing freely in space, following the example of the Opéra Garnier in Paris. He also took up the suggestion of the Schweizerische Bauzeitung  [ de ] to give the domed hall a higher consecration by installing statues. The sculptor Anselmo Laurenti made

7571-418: The domed hall once again into a bright daylight space . Extended spiral staircases and new elevators improved vertical access. A new visitors' entrance was built under the National Council Chamber, and a new technical floor with an IT room was constructed below. In general, the principle was to remove modern fixtures and emphasise the original furnishings. The building exterior was extensively renovated, including

7684-427: The east wing ("Bundeshaus Ost") was built from 1884 to 1892 under Hans Wilhelm Auer . Under Auer's direction, the parliament building in the center was erected between 1894 and 1902 to conclude the project. At the beginning of the 21st century, the first comprehensive renovation of the Federal Palace took place. The west wing on Bundesgasse is the headquarters of two departments of the Federal Administration, and houses

7797-426: The east wing he adopted its round-arched style, while for the main building he envisaged the neo-Renaissance style. In accordance with the prevailing architectural theory of the time, which was largely influenced by Gottfried Semper , the jury criticized Auer's symmetry as functionally incomprehensible. The dome was the subject of particular criticism as it was not situated above a dignified council chamber but above

7910-401: The economic powerhouse of Zürich, while Catholic and conservative Lucerne had been part of the Sonderbund during the war a year before. In addition, Bern had a more central location and was supported by the French-speaking cantons due to proximity to them. However, the constitution doesn't define Bern as official capital of Switzerland, but as the seat of government. A number of congresses of

8023-419: The executive on her left, and the legislature on her right. This arrangement was inspired by the Pallas Athena Fountain of the Austrian Parliament . The pediment is flanked by two griffins by Anselmo Laurenti symbolizing courage, wisdom, and strength. The female allegories in the second floor niches by James André Vibert represent freedom (left) and peace (right). Two commemorative plaques above refer to

8136-498: The express wish of the Federal Council, the jury was international, comprising Léo Châtelain, Ernst Jung, Hans Konrad Pestalozzi  [ de ] (National Councillor and Mayor of Zurich ), Heinrich Reese (Building Inspector of the Canton of Basel-Stadt ), Friedrich Wüest (National Councillor and Mayor of Lucerne), and Arnold Flückiger (Director of Federal Buildings). Frenchman Gaspard André and German Paul Wallot (architect of

8249-501: The federal government purchased the Inselspital building, which was separated from the Federal Town Hall by the casino. The initial plan was to rebuild the it, but the National Council demanded a new building. The Federal Superintendent of Buildings decided instead to erect a parliament building between the new building and the existing Federal Town Hall (i.e. instead of the casino) in a second stage. In accordance with this intention,

8362-574: The first time since its inauguration. For this reason, the Councillors held a session outside Bern for the first time ever in Geneva . In 1999, at the suggestion of Council of States member Dick Marty , the Federal Assembly decided to hold the 2001 spring session in Lugano . This made it possible to restore the Hall of the Council of States as well. The differing demands of parliamentarians, media and

8475-544: The form of a citadel-like structure on the slope below the parliament building prevailed. Massive historic preservation and urban planning concerns were however raised against the project, and it was abandoned by the National Council on 17 March 1993 at the request of the Parliamentary Reform Commission, on the grounds of the federal government's poor financial situation. Later that year, the National Council Chamber underwent extensive restoration for

8588-535: The founder of the city of Bern, vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, and this turned out to be a bear. It has long been considered likely that the city was named after the Italian city of Verona , which at the time was known as Bern in Middle High German . The city was sometimes referred to as Bern im Üechtland to distinguish it from Verona. As a result of the finding of

8701-524: The grounds that the competition was primarily concerned with the basic disposition; the design of the parliament building would be decided on at a later date. The Inselspital, which had stood empty since 1884, was demolished in 1887. Construction on Federal Palace East began in late 1888 and was completed in May 1892. While marble had been used sparingly as a decorative stone in the Bundes-Rathaus (known as

8814-410: The group portrait because his opponent Robert E. Lee was also to be depicted, and it was not done. The 1874 Swiss constitutional referendum approved a new constitution which came into effect on 29 May 1874, resulting in a marked devolution of power from the cantons to the Confederation. The rapidly-growing federal administration soon complained of an acute shortage of space. The Federal Council asked

8927-426: The jury could not reach a decision as it still considered a dome over a vestibule room to be "monstrous". On 30 June 1891, the Federal Council acted on its own authority and decided in favor of Auer. The National Council approved the decision on 24 March 1893 and the Council of States followed suit on 30 March 1894. Auer drew up the plans and took into account the criticism of his professional colleagues. By extending

9040-552: The lack of space. The federal government acquired Kleine Schanze  [ de ] west of the Hotel Bernerhof for a building site in 1876. It announced a competition for an administrative building to be used by the military, railroad and trade departments. Only a year later however, the project was abandoned; the Universal Postal Monument  [ de ] stands on the site today. In 1880,

9153-579: The largest canton of the Confederacy as it stood during the Restoration and until the secession of the canton of Jura in 1979. On 28 November 1848, a majority of the new Swiss Federal Assembly deputies chose Bern as the Federal City (seat of the government) of the newly created Swiss federal state , ahead of Zürich and Lucerne . Bern was chosen as not to concentrate all the power in

9266-467: The legendary oath to fight for Switzerland ( Rütlischwur ). The central entry facing the Federal Square (Bundesplatz) and opening up to a domed hall carries the inscription Curia Confœderationis Helveticæ ( Swiss Federal Assembly ) underneath a pediment . The roof edge is topped by Auguste de Niederhäusern-Rodo 's allegorical sculpture of Helvetia representing independence (center), with

9379-650: The longest covered shopping promenades in Europe. Since the 16th century, the city has had a bear pit, the Bärengraben , at the far end of the Nydeggbrücke to house its heraldic animals. The four bears are now kept in an open-air enclosure nearby, and two other young bears, a present by the Russian president, are kept in Dählhölzli zoo. The Federal Palace ( Bundeshaus ), built from 1857 to 1902, which houses

9492-415: The mandate period 2021–2024 ( Legislatur ) the Municipal Council is presided by Stadtpräsident Alec von Graffenried . Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the City Council are carried by the Municipal Council. The regular election of the Municipal Council by any inhabitant valid to vote is held every four years. Any resident of Bern allowed to vote can be elected as

9605-465: The most recent ice age . The two mountains closest to Bern are Gurten with a height of 864 m (2,835 ft) and Bantiger with a height of 947 m (3,107 ft). The site of the old observatory in Bern is the point of origin of the CH1903 coordinate system at 46°57′08.66″N 7°26′22.50″E  /  46.9524056°N 7.4395833°E  / 46.9524056; 7.4395833 . The city

9718-509: The municipality, which had been formed only 15 years previously. The federal government lacked the authority to construct its own buildings, but this decision accelerated the political disempowerment of the civic community by liberal forces. This process was completed in 1852 with the transfer of autonomy to the Einwohnergemeinde Bern  [ de ] and the separation of property (division of assets). In February 1849,

9831-545: The municipality. There were 49,873 married individuals, 9,345 widows or widowers and 9,468 individuals who are divorced. As of 2000 , there were 67,115 private households in the municipality, and an average of 1.8 persons per household. There were 34,981 households that consist of only one person and 1,592 households with five or more people. In 2000 , a total of 65,538 apartments (90.6% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 5,352 apartments (7.4%) were seasonally occupied and 1,444 apartments (2.0%) were empty. As of 2009 ,

9944-678: The name Brenodor ("dwelling of Breno"). In the Early Middle Ages, a settlement in Bümpliz , now a city district of Bern, was some 4 km (2 mi) from the medieval city. The medieval city is a foundation of the Zähringer ruling family, which rose to power in Upper Burgundy in the 12th century. According to 14th-century historiography ( Cronica de Berno , 1309), Bern was founded in 1191 by Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen . In 1218, after Berthold died without an heir, Bern

10057-653: The needs of the members of the council, and reinforce the architectural and artistic concepts of Hans Wilhelm Auer. The first stage was the relocation of the workplaces of the media representatives. To this end, a new media center was built between October 2003 and May 2006 in the buildings at Bundesgasse 8-12 (located opposite the Federal Palace West); the construction and equipping costs amounted to 42.5 million francs. Work on Federal Palace West began in February 2005 and lasted just over three years. The main focus

10170-658: The opinions of Bern, usually hostile to the politics of Pre-revolutionary France . Bern was occupied by French troops in 1798 during the French Revolutionary Wars , when it was stripped of parts of its territories. It regained control of the Bernese Oberland in 1802, and following the Congress of Vienna of 1814, it newly acquired the Bernese Jura . At this time, it once again became

10283-443: The parliament building amounted to 7.2 million francs (about 700 million in today's terms). Of this, 16.2% was spent on artistic decoration. After the opening of the parliament building, the two council chambers in Federal Palace West were abolished; their original use can only be guessed at. Instead of the Council of States hall, offices and a post office counter were built (in operation until 2005). The former National Council Chamber

10396-404: The period of 1981–2010, as well as 14.1 days of snowfall, 36.7 days of snow cover per year and the average amount of snow measured per year is 52.6 centimetres (20.7 in). On average, January is the coldest month, with a daily mean temperature of −0.4 °C (31.3 °F), and a daily minimum temperature of −3.6 °C (25.5 °F). The lowest temperature ever recorded at Bern (Zollikofen)

10509-468: The population (as of 2000 ) speaks German (104,465 or 81.2%) as their first language, Italian is the second most common (5,062 or 3.9%) and French is the third (4,671 or 3.6%). There are 171 people who speak Romansh . As of 2008 , the population was 47.5% male and 52.5% female. The population was made up of 44,032 Swiss men (35.4% of the population) and 15,092 (12.1%) non-Swiss men. There were 51,531 Swiss women (41.4%) and 13,726 (11.0%) non-Swiss women. Of

10622-535: The population in the municipality, 39,008 or about 30.3% were born in Bern and lived there in 2000. There were 27,573 or 21.4% who were born in the same canton, while 25,818 or 20.1% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 27,812 or 21.6% were born outside of Switzerland. As of 2000 , children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 15.1% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 65% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 19.9%. As of 2000 , there were 59,948 people who were single and never married in

10735-489: The population) who were Muslim . There were 629 persons who were Buddhist , 1,430 persons who were Hindu and 177 persons who belonged to another religion. 16,363 (or about 12.72% of the population) belonged to no religion, are agnostic or atheist , and 7,855 persons (or about 6.11% of the population) did not answer the question. On 14 December 2014 the Haus der Religionen was inaugurated. The structure of Bern's city centre

10848-406: The renovations, construction workers uncovered the vaulted cellars of the former Inselspital in the fall of 2012. These massive rooms, made of large sandstone blocks, once stored the natural resources used to finance the hospital and care for its patients. In the summer of 2019, the visitor entrance at the Bundesterrasse side was rebuilt due to security considerations. The central assembly building

10961-524: The resident population stood at 142,349, of which 100,000 were Swiss citizens and 42,349 (31%) resident foreigners. A further estimated 350,000 people live in the immediate urban agglomeration . Bern lies on the Swiss plateau in the canton of Bern, slightly west of the centre of Switzerland and 20 km (12 mi) north of the Bernese Alps . The countryside around Bern was formed by glaciers during

11074-514: The sandstone facades, the cornices and figures, the roof and domes, the skylights, and the lighting. In the National Council Chamber, the building services, the voting system, the translation system and the surfaces were renewed. During the most intensive renovation phase, the National Council and the Council of States held their 2006 autumn session in Flims . The official inauguration of the renovated parliament building took place on 21 November 2008 with

11187-463: The southwest of Bern's old city . The two chambers of the Federal Assembly, the National Council and Council of States , meet in the parliament building on Bundesplatz. The oldest part of the Federal Palace is the west wing (then called "Bundes-Rathaus", now "Bundeshaus West"), built from 1852 to 1857 under Jakob Friedrich Studer. The building united the federal administration, government and parliament under one roof. To solve pressing space problems,

11300-739: The victory of the Northern states in the American Civil War had triggered a wave of sympathy rallies in Switzerland. At the end of 1865, Buchser planned a mural in the National Council Chamber depicting the most important American personalities of the time, which was intended to express Switzerland's solidarity with the United States. Although he was able to produce portraits of numerous prominent people during his four-year stay in America, General Ulysses S. Grant refused to appear in

11413-512: The water in the municipality. According to the Köppen Climate Classification , Bern has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) closely bordering on a humid continental climate ( Dfb ). The closest weather station near Bern is located in the municipality of Zollikofen , about 5 kilometres (3 mi) north of the city centre. The warmest month for Bern is July, with a daily mean temperature of 18.3 °C (64.9 °F), and

11526-501: The years 1291 ( Federal Charter and the legendary Rütlischwur ) and 1848 (first Federal Constitution transforms Switzerland into a federal state ). Finally, the male allegories in the first floor niches by Maurice Reymond represent the chronicler of the past (left) and the chronicler of the present (right). To mark the 175th anniversary of the Swiss Federal Constitution , the work of art "Tilo", installed on

11639-529: Was about 1040.54 CHF (US$ 830, £470, €670) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 2094.80 CHF (US$ 1680, £940, €1340). The average apartment price in Bern was 99.4% of the national average of 1116 CHF. The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010 , was 0.45%. The historical population is given in the following chart: From the 2000 census , 60,455 or 47.0% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church , while 31,510 or 24.5% were members of

11752-554: Was installed at this location in September 2009 to commemorate Jewish prehistory . The modern Swiss federal state came into being when the federal constitution became effective on September 12, 1848, but the location of the nation's capital remained unresolved. On 28 November, the Federal Assembly voted in favor of Bern as the federal city and the seat of the federal authorities (however, to this day, Switzerland has no de jure capital). Provisional solutions were necessary as there

11865-546: Was made a free imperial city by the Goldene Handfeste of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II . In 1353, Bern joined the Swiss Confederacy , becoming the eighth canton of the formative period of 1353 to 1481. Bern invaded and conquered Aargau in 1415 and Vaud in 1536, as well as other smaller territories, thereby becoming the largest city-state north of the Alps . By the 18th century, it comprised most of what

11978-434: Was no suitable central building to accommodate the government, parliament and federal administration . The Federal Council convened in the Erlacherhof ; the National Council operated at an 1821-built music hall known as the "casino" and if necessary the Bern town hall ; while the Council of States met in the Äusseren Stand town hall  [ de ] . The federal court and administration moved into various buildings in

12091-590: Was not fully achieved but nevertheless, all significant stones of Switzerland were used. They embody the diversity of the country according to petrographic , geological and federal aspects. Particularly noteworthy is the almost complete use of stones that had been used for exclusive purposes since the 18th century by the Funk  [ de ; fr ] workshop in Bern and the Doret workshop in Vevey . Swiss limestones dominate

12204-408: Was on renovating the facade and the roof. New workspaces were also added, the attic converted, and various security and fire protection measures improved. The National Council and the Council of States approved 83 million Swiss francs for this as part of the 2004 and 2006 civil construction programs. In June 2006, the first comprehensive renovation and restoration of the parliament building began under

12317-598: Was originally built on a hilly peninsula surrounded by the river Aare , but outgrew natural boundaries by the 19th century. A number of bridges have been built to allow the city to expand beyond the Aare. Bern is built on very uneven ground. An elevation difference of up to 60 metres exists between the inner city districts on the Aare ( Matte , Marzili ) and the higher ones (Kirchenfeld, Länggasse). Bern has an area, as of 2013 , of 51.62 km (19.93 sq mi). Of this area, 9.42 km (3.64 sq mi) or 18.2%

12430-510: Was reduced in size and further subdivided by an iron construction with stairs and walkways. It has since housed a library for use by employees of the federal administration and members of parliament, which is not open to the public except for special occasions, for security reasons. Over the course of time, the use of space in the parliament building was repeatedly adapted to changing, often short-term needs. In addition to necessary technical improvements, however, remodeling works were carried out in

12543-428: Was responsible also for construction and art, awarded some commissions because he felt too little consideration had been given to French-speaking Switzerland . 173 Swiss companies were involved in the construction work. Auer created a Swiss national monument with a rich and symbolic iconography depicting the history, constitutional foundations, and activities of the country's inhabitants. The Swiss Confederation bought

12656-538: Was the monastery church at Marchtal Abbey near Obermarchtal which he completed after the death of Thumb in 1690, together with the latter's son, Christian Thumb , also an architect. He also had the churches at Rheinau Abbey and the monastery of Saint Urban , both in Switzerland, built. Amongst other projects, he was involved in the construction of the churches at Weingarten Abbey , which started in 1717, and Weissenau Abbey from 1717 until 1724. Together with Michael Thumb, Christian Thumb and Kaspar Moosbrugger , he

12769-415: Was −23.0 °C (−9.4 °F), recorded in February 1929, and typically the coldest temperature of the year reaches an average of −12.8 °C (9.0 °F) for the period of 1981–2010. The municipality is administratively subdivided into six districts ( Stadtteile ), each of which consists of several quarters ( Quartiere ). The Municipal Council (de: Gemeinderat , fr: conseil municipal ) constitutes

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