107-684: The Münstergasse is one of the streets in the Old City of Bern , the medieval city center of Bern , Switzerland. It is part of the Zähringerstadt which was built during the foundation of the old city in 1191 . However, until 1967 it was parts of several other streets. It runs along the cathedral and it is part of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site that encompasses the Old City. On 1 November 1967
214-558: A dux became the military commander in each province. The title dux , Hellenised to doux , survived in the Eastern Roman Empire where it continued in several contexts, signifying a rank equivalent to a captain or general. Later on, in the 11th century, the title Megas Doux was introduced for the post of commander-in-chief of the entire navy. During the Middle Ages the title (as Herzog ) signified first among
321-400: A grandeeship of Spain . The current royal duchesses are Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria (although she inherited the title of Duchess of Hernani from her cousin and is the second holder of the title), and Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo . In Spain all dukes hold the court rank of grandee, which has precedence over all other noble titles. The last non-royal hereditary dukedom created was
428-469: A bear. Both the name of the city ( Bern can stand for Bär(e) n , bears) and its heraldic beast, come from this legend. At that time, much of today's Switzerland (then considered part of southern Burgundy ) was under the authority of the house of Zähringen. The Zähringer leaders, although with no actual duchy of their own, were styled dukes by decree of the German king and exercised imperial power south of
535-542: A century the Käfigturm remained the western boundary of Bern. However, as the city grew, people began settling outside the city walls. In 1344 the city started to build a third wall to protect the growing population. By 1346 the project was finished, and six new streets were protected by a wall and the Christoffelturm (German: St. Christopher Tower). The Christoffelturm remained the western border of Bern until
642-534: A fief of Denmark and Holstein being a fief of the Holy Roman Empire . Key parts of Finland were sometimes under a Duke of Finland during the Swedish reign (until 1809). Some of the provinces are still considered duchies for the purposes of heraldry. In Norway, Skule Bårdsson was first jarl in 1217, and as such got responsibility for the army, and then in 1237, as another attempt at compromise, Skule
749-423: A grand plaza in front of the new cathedral. At some time before 1506, two houses on Herrengasse were demolished to allow the plaza to expand westward. It expanded again, at some time before 1528, when three houses in what would become Münstergasse were demolished. The name Münsterplatz was commonly used in the 19th century and became official in 1881. Kirchgasse was the original name for a both Junkerngasse and
856-665: A higher title, just below king. In the United Kingdom, the inherited position of a duke along with its dignities, privileges, and rights is a dukedom . However, the title of duke has never been associated with independent rule in the British Isles: they hold dukedoms, not duchies (excepting the Duchy of Cornwall and the Duchy of Lancaster ). Dukes in the United Kingdom are addressed as "Your Grace" and referred to as "His Grace". Currently, there are thirty-five dukedoms in
963-566: A portion of Münstergasse. In 1576 the name was only applied to the section that ran past the cathedral, as the Junkerngasse section had been renamed Edle Gasse ("Noble Lane") and would become Junkerngasse in the 17th century. In 1967 the name became unofficial when it was renamed to be part of Münstergasse. 46°56′50.92″N 7°27′7.83″E / 46.9474778°N 7.4521750°E / 46.9474778; 7.4521750 Old City of Bern The Old City ( German : Altstadt )
1070-461: A powerful and rich city-state, public fountains were added to Bern. A number of fountains were topped with large allegorical statues , eleven of which are still visible in the city. The fountains served to show the power and wealth of the city, as well as providing fresh water for the citizens of the city. Overall, the city remained nearly unchanged for the next two centuries. By the early nineteenth century, Bern had expanded as far as it could within
1177-607: A skeleton, claiming people from all professions and social classes. A "Dance of Death" was intended as a reminder that death would come to everyone regardless of wealth or status and may have been a comfort in a world filled with plagues and wars. The choir , in the eastern side of the Cathedral between the nave and the sanctuary , houses the first Renaissance choir stalls in Switzerland. The stalls are carved with lifelike animals and images of daily life. The Zytglogge
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#17327733530271284-468: A term used in republican Rome to refer to a military commander without an official rank (particularly one of Germanic or Celtic origin), and later coming to mean the leading military commander of a province. In most countries, the word duchess is the female equivalent. Following the reforms of the emperor Diocletian (which separated the civilian and military administrations of the Roman provinces),
1391-423: Is home to Switzerland's tallest minster as well as other churches, bridges and a large collection of Renaissance fountains. In addition to many historical buildings, the seats of the federal , cantonal and municipal government are also situated in the Old City. It is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site since 1983 due to the compact and generally intact medieval core and is an excellent example of incorporating
1498-465: Is not applicable to dukedoms of other nations, even where an institution similar to the peerage (e.g. Grandeeship , Imperial Diet , Hungarian House of Magnates ) existed. During the 19th century, many of the smaller German and Italian states were ruled by dukes or grand dukes. But at present, with the exception of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , there are no dukes ruling as monarchs. Duke remains
1605-563: Is one of the three oldest clocks in Switzerland. Following the first expansion of Bern, the Zytglogge was the gate tower of the western fortifications. At this time, it was a squat tower of only about 16 m (52 ft) in height which was open in the back. During the second expansion, to the Käfigturm, the Zytglogge wall was removed, and the tower was relegated to second-line status. Around 1270–1275 an additional 7 m (23 ft)
1712-677: Is supported by 14 monolithic columns made of sandstone and has a free-standing pulpit in the northern part of the nave . Much like the St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva , the Church of the Holy Ghost holds about 2,000 people and is one of the largest Protestant churches in Switzerland. From 1693 to 1698 the hospital's chief minister was the Pietist theologian, Samuel Heinrich König. In 1829 and 1830,
1819-462: Is the medieval city center of Bern , Switzerland. Built on a narrow hill bordered on three sides by the river Aare , its compact layout has remained essentially unchanged since its construction during the twelfth to the fifteenth century. Despite a major fire in 1405, after which much of the city was rebuilt in sandstone , and substantial construction efforts in the eighteenth century, Bern's old city has retained its medieval character. The Old City
1926-526: Is the fundamental principles that Switzerland was founded on; including independence , freedom , separation of government powers , order and security. The final theme is the cultural and material variety of Switzerland; including politically (represented by Canton flags), geographically and socially. The two chambers where the National Council and the Council of States meet are separated by
2033-570: Is the landmark medieval clock tower in the Old City of Bern. It has existed since about 1218–1220 and is one of the most recognisable symbols of Bern. The name Zyglogge is Bernese German and translates as Zeitglocke in Standard German or time bell in English. A "time bell" was one of the earliest public timekeeping devices, consisting of a clockwork connected to a hammer that rang a small bell at every full hour. The Zytglogge clock
2140-459: Is the tallest in Switzerland. The largest bell in the bell tower is also the largest bell in Switzerland. This enormous bell, weighing about 10 tons and 247 cm (8.1 ft) in diameter, was cast in 1611 and is still rung every day. It is possible to stand next to the bell when it is rung, but one has to cover one's ears to avoid hearing damage. Above the main portal is a rare complete collection of Gothic sculpture. The collection represents
2247-477: Is the territory or geopolitical entity ruled by a duke, whereas his title or area is often called a dukedom. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a fully independent state and its head, the Grand Duke, is a sovereign monarch reigning over his Luxembourgish subjects. The Duke of Cornwall holds both the dukedom (title) and duchy (estate holdings), the latter being the source of his personal income; those living on
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#17327733530272354-541: The Christoffelturm to open up the west end of the city. Following a very close vote, the decision to remove the Christoffelturm and city wall was made on 15 December 1864. In the spring of the following year Gottlieb Ott led the team that removed the tower. Currently, the former location of the Christoffelturm is a large road interchange, a major bus station and the central train station. Following
2461-483: The Münstergasse (Cathedral Alley) and Herrengasse (Lords' Alley), while guilds and merchants' shops clustered around the central Kramgasse (Grocers Alley) and Gerechtigkeitsgasse (Justice Alley). Junkerngasse ( Junker Lane), which is parallel to Gerechtigkeitsgasse , was originally known as Kilchgasse (Church Lane) but was renamed because of number of patricians or untitled nobility which lived on
2568-523: The Nydeggstalden and the Mattequartier together constitute medieval Bern's smallest neighbourhood. Workshops and mercantile activity prevailed in this area, and medieval sources tell of numerous complaints about the ceaseless and apparently nerve-wracking noise of machinery, carts and commerce. The Matte area at the riverside features three artificial channels, through which Aare water
2675-597: The Sonderbundskrieg (German: Separate Alliance War) in 1847, Switzerland established a federal constitution and Bern was chosen as the capital of the new Federal State. The vote to make Bern the federal city was met with little enthusiasm (419 vs 313 votes) in Bern due to concerns over the cost. The first Bundesrathaus or Parliament House was built in 1852–1857 by the city of Bern in a New-Renaissance style. The mirror image Bundeshaus Ost (East Federal Building)
2782-620: The Bundeshaus West (built in 1852–57), the central Parliament Building (built in 1894–1902) and the Bundeshaus East (built in 1884–1892). The central plaza in front of the Parliament building was built into a fountain in 2004. The plaza was paved with granite slabs and 26 water jets, one for each canton, were hidden under the plaza. The design of the plaza has won two international awards. The central Parliament Building
2889-527: The Bärengraben were moved from the Old City across the Aare on 27 May 1857. In the twentieth century, Bern has had to deal with incorporating the modern world into a medieval city. The plaza where the Christoffelturm used to be, has become the central bus stop for the city. The main train station was built under the plaza, and actually includes some of the foundations from the Christoffelturm and wall in
2996-497: The Bärengraben . Bern was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites because of "an exceptionally coherent planning concept" and because "the medieval town...has retained its original character". Bern owes its coherent planning concept and its famous arcades to a disaster. In 1405 a fire broke out in Bern, which was mostly wooden buildings at the time. The fire raced through the city and destroyed most of
3103-603: The Duke of Spoleto and the Duke of Benevento were de facto sovereigns. In 575, when Cleph died, a period known as the Rule of the Dukes , in which the dukes governed without a king, commenced. It lasted only a decade before the disunited magnates, to defend the kingdom from external attacks, elected a new king and even diminished their own duchies to provide him with a handsome royal demesne . The Lombard kings were usually drawn from
3210-507: The Germanic monarchies . Dukes were the rulers of the provinces and the superiors of the counts in the cities and later, in the feudal monarchies , the highest-ranking peers of the king. A duke may or may not be, ipso facto , a member of the nation's peerage : in the United Kingdom and Spain all dukes are/were also peers of the realm, in France some were and some were not, while the term
3317-666: The Hall of the Dome . The dome itself has an external height of 64 m, and an internal height of 33 m. The mosaic in the center represents the Federal coat of arms along with 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,
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3424-594: The House of York , which later fought for the throne with John of Gaunt's Lancastrian descendants during the Wars of the Roses . By 1483, a total of 16 ducal titles had been created: Cornwall, Lancaster, Clarence, Gloucester, York, Ireland , Hereford , Aumale , Exeter , Surrey , Norfolk , Bedford , Somerset , Buckingham , Warwick and Suffolk . Some became extinct, others had multiple creations, and some had merged with
3531-466: The Oberer Spital . The second church was demolished in 1726 to make way for a new church building, which was built in 1726–29 by Niklaus Schiltknecht. The first organ in the new church was installed in 1804 and was replaced in 1933 by the second organ. The church has six bells, one of the two largest was cast in 1596 and the other in 1728. The four other bells were all cast in 1860. The interior
3638-622: The Peerage of England , Peerage of Scotland , Peerage of Great Britain , Peerage of Ireland and Peerage of the United Kingdom , held by thirty different people, as three people hold two dukedoms and two hold three (see List of dukes in the peerages of Britain and Ireland ). All dukedoms in the UK apart from the Duchy of Lancaster are inherited through the male line only, although dukedoms such as Marlborough and Fife (second creation) have passed through
3745-578: The Principality of Achaea , so Robert received Achaea from John in exchange for 5,000 ounces of gold and the rights to the diminished Kingdom of Albania . John took the style of Duke of Durazzo . In 1368, Durazzo fell to Karl Thopia , who was recognized by Venice as Prince of Albania . The Visigoths retained the Roman divisions of their kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula and it seems that dukes ruled over these areas. They were
3852-619: The Rhine . To establish their position there, they founded or expanded numerous settlements, including Fribourg (in 1157), Bern, Burgdorf and Morat . The area chosen by Berchtold V was a hilly peninsula bounded by the Aare on three sides. This location made the city easy to defend and influenced the later development of the city. The long, narrow shape of the peninsula made the city develop as several long, parallel rows of houses. The only major cross streets (going north and south) developed along
3959-607: The late Middle Ages , overlap the Viertel boundaries and remain easily identifiable in today's cityscape. The central and oldest neighbourhood is the Zähringerstadt ( Zähringer town), which contained the medieval city's principal political, economic and spiritual institutions. These were strictly separated: official buildings were situated around the Kreuzgasse (Cross Alley), ecclesiastical buildings were located at
4066-411: The vicar of the church was the poet Jeremias Gotthelf . There are over 100 public fountains in the city of Bern of which eleven are crowned with Renaissance allegorical statues. The statues were created during the period of civic improvement that occurred as Bern became a major city-state during the sixteenth century. The fountains were originally built as a public water supply. As Bern grew in power,
4173-570: The 19th century, the sovereign dukes of Parma and Modena in Italy, and of Anhalt , Brunswick-Lüneburg , Nassau , Saxe-Coburg-Gotha , Saxe-Meiningen and Saxe-Altenburg in Germany survived Napoleon's reorganization. Since the unification of Italy in 1870 and the end of monarchy in Germany in 1918, there have no longer been any reigning dukes in Europe; Luxembourg is ruled by a grand duke ,
4280-580: The Belgian crown), such as Count of Flanders ( King Leopold III 's so-titled brother Charles held the title when he became the realm's temporary head of state as prince-regent ) and Prince of Liège (a secularised version of the historical prince-bishopric ; e.g. King Albert II until he succeeded his older brother Baudouin I ). When the Christian Reconquista , sweeping the Moors from
4387-516: The Cathedral Terrace, making the terrace a rich archaeological site. The only major pieces of art that survived the iconoclasm inside the cathedral are the stained-glass windows and the choir stalls. The stained-glass windows date from 1441–1450 and are considered the most valuable in Switzerland. The windows include a number of heraldic symbols and religious images as well as an entire " Dance of Death " window. This window shows death, as
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4494-728: The Christian belief in the Last Judgment where the wicked will be separated from the righteous. The large 47 free-standing statues are replicas (the originals are in the Bern History Museum) and the 170 smaller statues are all original. The interior is large, open and fairly empty. Nearly all the art and altars in the cathedral were removed in 1528 during the iconoclasm of the Protestant Reformation. The paintings and statues were dumped in what became
4601-611: The Münstergasse was created from several other streets. Portions of Kesslergasse (Nr. 34–78 and 31–61), the northern section of Münsterplatz (Nr. 26–32) and the Kirchgasse (Nr. 2-24) were merged into Münstergasse. A university library is situated in Number 61. Kesslergasse was first mentioned in 1576 as the new name of the western portion of Kirchgasse . The westernmost section, between Finstergässchen and Hotelgasse ,
4708-575: The Zytglogge was thoroughly renovated again and generally restored to its 1770 appearance. The Parliament Building (German: Bundeshaus , French: Palais fédéral , Italian : Palazzo federale , Latin : Curia Confoederationis Helveticae ) is built along the southern edge of the peninsula and straddles the location of the former Käfigturm wall. The building is the used by both the Swiss Federal Council or Executive and Parliament or Federal Assembly of Switzerland . The complex includes
4815-440: The astronomical clock, the Zytglogge features a group of mechanical figures. At three minutes before the hour the figures which include a rooster, a fool, a knight, a piper, a lion and bears, put on a show. The animals chase each other around, the fool rings his bells and the rooster caws. During the day it is common to see small crowds gathered around the foot of the Zytglogge waiting for the show to start. The Zytglogge's exterior
4922-408: The buildings in town. In the wake of this disaster, the city was rebuilt with all stone houses in similar medieval styles. The arcades were added throughout the fifteenth century as houses expanded in the upper stories out into the street. Throughout the next three centuries houses were modified, but the essential elements (stone construction, arcades) remained. In the sixteenth century, as Bern became
5029-456: The church was again used for religious services and in 1721 was placed under the Münster. The Holy Ghost Church ( German : Heiliggeistkirche ) is a Swiss Reformed Church at Spitalgasse 44. It is one of largest Swiss Reformed churches in Switzerland. The first church was a chapel built for the Holy Ghost hospital and abbey. The chapel, hospital and abbey were first mentioned in 1228 and at
5136-487: The city that merit special mention. All of these buildings are also listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance. The Münster of Bern (German: Berner Münster ) is a Protestant Gothic cathedral located on the south side of the peninsula . Construction on the Münster began in 1421 and finished with the bell tower in 1893. The bell tower is 100 m (328 ft) and
5243-447: The city walls, which were moved to allow the city to expand. Therefore, the cross streets mark the stages of development in the Old City of Bern. On the eastern end of the peninsula a small fort, called Castle Nydegg, was founded by Berchtold IV in the second half of the twelfth century. Either when the fort was built or in 1191, the city of Bern was founded around the eastern end of the peninsula. The first expansion of Bern occurred as
5350-578: The city was founded. Most likely the first city started at Nydegg Castle and reached to the Zytglogge ( Swiss German : clock tower). The city was divided by three longitudinal streets, which stretched from the Castle to the city wall. Both the position of the town church and the shape of the eaves were typical for a Zähringer city. During the first half of the thirteenth century two additional streets ( Brunngasse and Herrengasse ) were added. Brunngasse
5457-584: The constituent duchies of the kingdom of Germany at the time of the extinction of the Carolingian dynasty (the death of Louis the Child in 911) and the transitional period leading to the formation of the Holy Roman Empire later in the 10th century. In Anglo-Saxon England, where the Roman political divisions were largely abandoned, the highest political rank beneath that of king was ealdorman , and
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#17327733530275564-529: The construction of the Nydeggbrücke in 1840, the Untertorbrücke was the only bridge crossing the Aare near Bern. See List of Aare bridges in Bern . The original Nydegg Castle was built around 1190 by either Duke Berchtold V. von Zähringen or his father Berchtold IV. as part of the city defenses. Following the second expansion, the castle was destroyed by the citizens of Bern in 1268. The castle
5671-532: The crown upon the holder's accession to the throne. When the Plantagenet dynasty came to an end at the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485, only four ducal titles remained extant, of which two were now permanently associated with the crown. John de la Pole was Duke of Suffolk and John Howard was Duke of Norfolk (2nd creation), while the duchy of Cornwall was reserved as a title and source of income for
5778-552: The current European monarchies of Belgium, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Other historical cases occurred for example in Denmark, Finland (as a part of Sweden) and France, Portugal and some former colonial possessions such as Brazil and Haiti. In the United Kingdom, a royal duke is a duke who is a member of the British royal family , entitled to the style of " His Royal Highness ". Ducal titles which have been given within
5885-477: The death of the Black Prince, the duchy of Cornwall passed to his nine-year-old son, who would eventually succeed his grandfather as Richard II . The title of Duke of Lancaster was created by Edward III in 1351 for Henry of Grosmont , but became extinct upon the duke's death in 1361. The following year, Edward III bestowed the title (2nd creation) on his fourth son, John of Gaunt , who was also married to
5992-509: The ducal estates are subjects of the British sovereign and owe neither fealty nor services to the duke per se . In Scotland, the male heir apparent to the British crown is always the Duke of Rothesay as well, but this is a dukedom (title) without a duchy. Similarly, the British monarch rules and owns the Duchy of Lancaster as Duke of Lancaster , but it is held separately from the Crown, with
6099-534: The duchy of Holstein , in personal union with the Danish crown, was nonetheless always a German principality. The two duchies jointly became a member of the German Bundesland as " Schleswig-Holstein " in the 19th century. Beginning in the 11th century, Danish kings frequently awarded the title of jarl (earl) or duke of Schleswig to a younger son of the monarch. Short-lived dukedoms were created for
6206-432: The duke pool when the title was not hereditary. The dukes tried to make their own offices hereditary. Beneath them in the internal structure were the counts and gastalds , a uniquely Lombard title initially referring to judicial functions, similar to a count's, in provincial regions. The Franks employed dukes as the governors of Roman provinces, though they also led military expeditions far from their duchies. The dukes were
6313-435: The dukes, who called up the thiufae when necessary. When the Lombards entered Italy, the Latin chroniclers called their war leaders duces in the old fashion. These leaders eventually became the provincial rulers, each with a recognized seat of government. Though nominally loyal to the king, the concept of kingship was new to the Lombards and the dukes were highly independent, especially in central and southern Italy, where
6420-418: The eighteenth or nineteenth century. Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy , or of a member of royalty , or nobility . As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes , grand dukes , and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked below princes and grand dukes. The title comes from French duc , itself from the Latin dux , 'leader',
6527-434: The eldest son of the sovereign, and the duchy of Lancaster was now held by the monarch. Norfolk perished alongside Richard III at Bosworth field, and the title was forfeit. It was restored to his son Thomas thirty years later by Henry VIII , as one of a number of dukes created or recreated by the Tudor dynasty over the ensuing century. England's premier ducal title, Norfolk, remains in the Howard family to this day. In
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#17327733530276634-430: The famous Bärengraben (German: Bear Pits) were located in the Old City. According to the Bernese historian Valerius Anshelm , the first bears were kept on Bärenplatz (German: Bears' Plaza) in 1513. They were moved from the modern Bärenplatz to the Schanzengraben near the former Christoffelturm in 1764. However, the bears remained in the Old City until the expansion of the new capital forced them out. The bears and
6741-419: The female line for one generation under terms of a special remainder for lack of male heirs of the initial grantee. Henrietta, 2nd Duchess of Marlborough and Her Highness Princess Alexandra (HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught), 2nd Duchess of Fife were duchesses in their own right. Both were succeeded in their titles by nephews born by younger sisters of the duchesses. The word duchess is normally only used for
6848-426: The figure dates from 1545. The Runner has moved several times since its creation, and until about 1663 was known as the Brunnen beim unteren Tor (Fountain by the lower gate). Originally the Läuferbrunnen had an octagonal trough and a tall, round column. The trough was replaced with a rectangular trough before 1757 which was replaced in 1824. The round column was replaced with the current square limestone pillar in
6955-435: The first duke's daughter. On the same day Edward III also created his second son, Lionel of Antwerp , as Duke of Clarence . All five of Edward III's surviving sons eventually became dukes. In 1385, ten years after their father's death, his heir Richard II created dukedoms for his last two uncles on the same day. Thomas of Woodstock was named Duke of Gloucester and Edmund of Langley became Duke of York , thereby founding
7062-450: The first ealdormen were referred to as duces (the plural of the original Latin dux ) in the chronicles. The title ealdorman was replaced by the Danish eorl (later earl ) over time. After the Norman conquest , their power and regional jurisdiction was limited to that of the Norman counts . Edward III of England created the first English dukedom by naming his eldest son Edward, the Black Prince , as Duke of Cornwall in 1337. Upon
7169-407: The former Caliphate of Córdoba and its taifa-remnants , transformed the territory of former Suevic and Visigothic realms into Catholic feudal principalities, none of these warlords was exactly styled duke. A few (as Portugal itself ) started as count (even if the title of dux was sometimes added), but soon all politically relevant princes were to use the royal style of king. In Portugal,
7276-443: The four streets, known as the New City or Savoy City, that had sprung up outside the Zytglogge. The new west wall included a gate known as the Käfigturm (German: Prison Tower). Around 1268 Nydegg Castle was destroyed, and the city expanded into the area formerly occupied by the castle. In the south-east part of the peninsula below the main hill that the rest of the Old City occupied, a section known as Matte grew up. For almost
7383-462: The greater Romanization of those provinces. But the titles were basically equivalent. In late Merovingian Gaul, the mayors of the palace of the Arnulfing clan began to use the title dux et princeps Francorum : 'duke and prince of the Franks'. In this title, duke implied supreme military control of the entire nation ( Francorum , the Franks) and it was thus used until the end of the Carolingian dynasty in France in 987. The stem duchies were
7490-400: The highest hereditary title (aside from titles borne by a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty) in Portugal (though now a republic), Spain, and the United Kingdom. In Sweden, members of the royal family are given a personal dukedom at birth. The Pope, as a temporal sovereign, has also, though rarely, granted the title of duke or duchess to persons for services to the Holy See . In some realms
7597-449: The highest-ranking officials in the realm, typically Frankish (whereas the counts were often Gallo-Roman), and formed the class from which the kings' generals were chosen in times of war. The dukes met with the king every May to discuss policy for the upcoming year, the so-called Mayfield . In Burgundy and Provence , the titles of patrician and prefect were commonly employed instead of duke, probably for historical reasons relating to
7704-452: The income of the duchy estates providing the sovereign's Privy Purse . The Channel Islands are two of the three remaining Crown Dependencies , the last vestiges of the lands of the Duchy of Normandy. The Islanders in their loyal toast will say "Le Roi, notre Duc" (The King, Our Duke). Though the title was apparently renounced under the Treaty of Paris in 1259, the Crown still maintains that
7811-474: The infantes or natural sons of the monarch. There are exceptions, such as António José de Ávila , who, although not having any relation to the royal family, was given the title of Duke of Ávila and Bolama in the 19th century. Spanish infantes and infantas are usually given a royal dukedom upon marriage, excepting the heir apparent who is the Prince of Asturias . Those titles are nowadays not hereditary but carry
7918-676: The islands today retain autonomy in government, they owe allegiance to The King in his role as Duke of Normandy." During the Middle Ages , after Roman power in Western Europe collapsed, the title was still employed in the Germanic kingdoms, usually to refer to the rulers of old Roman provinces. The Venetians installed a "Duke of Durazzo" (today Durrës ) during their brief rule over the city and its environs in 1205–1213. In 1332, Robert of Taranto succeeded his father, Philip . Robert's uncle, John , did not wish to do him homage for
8025-581: The modern world into a medieval city. Numerous buildings in the Old City have been designated as Swiss Cultural Properties of National Significance , as well as the entire Old City. The earliest settlements in the valley of the Aare date back to the Neolithic period. During the second century BC, the valley was settled by the Helvetii . Following the Roman conquest of Helvetia , a small Roman settlement
8132-540: The most powerful landowners and, along with the bishops, elected the king, usually from their own midst. They were the military commanders and in this capacity often acted independently from the king, most notably in the latter period before the Muslim invasions. The army was structured decimally with the highest unit, the thiufa , probably corresponding to about 1,000 people from each civitas (city district). The cities were commanded by counts, who were in turn answerable to
8239-409: The nineteenth century ending with the destruction of Bern's greatest of its three guard towers, the Christoffelturm . Only the four central streets were lined with residential houses in late medieval times, while the rest of the area was devoted to agriculture and animal husbandry . While the entire old town of Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are a number of buildings and fountains within
8346-593: The nineteenth century. From 1622 to 1634 a series of defensive walls and strong points were added outside the Christoffelturm . These defensive walls, known as the Grosse Schanze and Kleine Schanze (large and small redoubts respectively) as well as the Schanzegraben (redoubt ditch or moat), were never used as living space for the city, though the Schanzengraben was used for a while to house
8453-424: The old city walls. An increasing number of people were living outside the city walls in neighbouring communities. Throughout the nineteenth century, this ring of modern cities grew up around the Old City without forcing it to demolish the medieval city core. However, the growth around the Old City did lead to several projects. Within the Old City of Bern, many of the old stone buildings were renovated without changing
8560-657: The original fountains were expanded and decorated but retained their original purpose. Nearly all the sixteenth-century fountains, except the Zähringer fountain which was created by Hans Hiltbrand , are the work of the Fribourg master Hans Gieng : From east to west, the first fountain is the Läuferbrunnen (German: Runner fountain) near the Nydegg Church on Nydeggstalden . The trough was built in 1824, but
8667-459: The outer appearance. The bell tower was finally finished on the Münster (German: Minister or Cathedral), making it the tallest church in Switzerland. A new bridge was built across the Aare at Nydegg in 1842 to 1844. The new bridge was larger than the, still standing, old bridge, called Untertorbrücke, which had been built in 1461 to 1487. One of the biggest projects was the proposed destruction of
8774-557: The relative status of "duke" and "prince", as titles borne by the nobility rather than by members of reigning dynasties, varied—e.g., in Italy and Germany. A woman who holds in her own right the title to such duchy or dukedom, or is married to a duke, is normally styled duchess. Queen Elizabeth II , however, was known by tradition as Duke of Normandy in the Channel Islands and Duke of Lancaster in Lancashire. A duchy
8881-398: The royal family include Duke of Cornwall , Duke of Lancaster , Duke of Clarence , Duke of York , Duke of Gloucester , Duke of Bedford , Duke of Cumberland , Duke of Cambridge , Duke of Rothesay , Duke of Albany , Duke of Ross , Duke of Edinburgh , Duke of Kent , Duke of Sussex , and Duke of Connaught and Strathearn . Following his abdication in 1936 the former King Edward VIII
8988-524: The same purpose in Lolland and Halland . After the accession to the throne of Christian I , a complex system of appanages were created for male-line descendants of the king, being granted non-sovereign ducal titles in both Schleswig and Holstein , e.g. Duke of Gottorp , Duke of Sønderborg, Duke of Augustenborg , Duke of Franzhagen, Duke of Beck, Duke of Glücksburg and Duke of Nordborg. This arrangement occurred in both territories despite Schleswig being
9095-418: The side of the bridge column on the city side was blessed in 1467. However, the bridge wasn't finished until 1490. The new bridge was 52 meters (171 ft) long with the three arches spanning 13.5 m (44 ft), 15.6 m (51 ft) and 13.9 m (46 ft). The bridge was modified several times including the removal of the stone guard rails which were replaced with iron rails in 1818–19. Until
9202-481: The southern side of the peninsula. The second oldest neighbourhood, the Innere Neustadt ('Inner New City'), was built during the city's first westward expansion in 1255, between the first western wall guarded by the Zytglogge tower and the second wall, guarded by the Käfigturm . Its central feature is the broad Marktgasse (Market Alley). Situated in the northeast and southeast of the Aare peninsula,
9309-461: The time sat about 150 meters (490 ft) outside the western gate of the first city wall. This building was replaced by the second church between 1482 and 1496. In 1528 the church was secularized by the reformers and the last two monks at the Abbey were driven out of Bern. During the following years it was used as a granary. In 1604 it was again used for religious services, as the hospital church for
9416-532: The title is retained: "In 1106, William's youngest son Henry I seized the Duchy of Normandy from his brother Robert; since that time, the English sovereign has always held the title Duke of Normandy ", and that "By 1205, England had lost most of its French lands, including Normandy. However, the Channel Islands, part of the lost Duchy, remained a self-governing possession of the English Crown. While
9523-512: The title of Duke of Suárez in favour of former primer minister Adolfo Suárez in 1981. Since the accession of King Felipe VI to the throne in 2014, no new noble title has been created. The Northern European duchies of Halland , Jutland , Lolland , Osilia and Reval existed in the Middle Ages. The longest-surviving duchy was Schleswig , i.e., Sonderjylland (a portion of which later became part of Germany). Its southern neighbor,
9630-401: The title of duke was granted for the first time in 1415 to infante Peter and infante Henry , the second and third sons of king John I , following their participation in the successful Conquest of Ceuta . Pedro became the first Duke of Coimbra and Henry the first Duke of Viseu . From the reign of king Manuel I , the title of Duke of Beja was given to the second son of the monarch. This
9737-494: The tower its contemporary outline. Both façades were again repainted in the Rococo style by Rudolf von Steiger in 1890. The idealising historicism of the design came to be disliked in the twentieth century, and a 1929 competition produced the façade designs visible today: on the west façade, Victor Surbek 's fresco "Beginning of Time" and on the east façade, a reconstruction of the 1770 design by Kurt Indermühle . In 1981–83,
9844-411: The train station. However, one of the biggest challenges has been integrating automobile traffic into the Old City. Due to the number of important buildings in the Old City and the central location of the Old City, it was impossible to completely close off this area to vehicles. While some streets have remained pedestrian zones, most major streets carry city buses, trams or personal vehicles. The old city
9951-622: The wife of a duke. Dukes of Lancaster are called dukes even when they are female, and by tradition the monarch of the UK, whether male or female, is known in the Channel Islands as the Duke of Normandy. Various royal houses traditionally awarded (mainly) dukedoms to the sons and in some cases, the daughters, of their respective sovereigns; others include at least one dukedom in a wider list of similarly granted titles, nominal dukedoms without any actual authority, often even without an estate. Such titles are still conferred on royal princes or princesses in
10058-416: Was a semi-circular street on the north edge of the city, while Herrengasse was on the south side of the city. A wood bridge was built over the Aare which allowed increased trade and limited settlements on the east bank of the river. During the second half of the thirteenth century, the riverside foundation of Nydegg Castle was strengthened and connected to a new west city wall. This wall was added to protect
10165-461: Was added to the tower to allow it to overlook the surrounding houses. After the third expansion, to the Christoffelturm, the Zytglogge was converted into a women's prison. Most commonly it was used to house Pfaddendirnen – "priests' whores", women convicted of sexual relations with clerics. At this time, the Zytglogge also received its first slanted roof. In the Great Fire of 1405, the tower
10272-400: Was built in 1884–1892. Then, in 1894–1902 the domed Parlamentsgebäude or Parliament Building was built between the other two buildings. The three parliament buildings represent the majority of the new, federal construction in the Old City. Most of the other buildings that come with a national capital were placed outside the Old City or were incorporated into existing buildings. For centuries
10379-519: Was built to be visible and is topped with several large copper domes. The interior was decorated by 38 artists from every corner of the country. Three major themes tied all the works together. The first theme, national history, is represented by events and persons from Swiss history. This includes the Rütlischwur or the foundation of Switzerland in 1291 and figures such as William Tell , Arnold von Winkelried and Nicholas of Flüe . The second theme
10486-461: Was changed during the Liberal regime in the 19th century (with Queen Maria II ), when the first infante (second son of the monarch) got the title of Duke of Porto and the second infante (third son) was known as Duke of Beja. There are examples of duke as a subsidiary title, granted to the most powerful noble houses: Usually, the title of duke was granted to relatives of the royal family, such as
10593-456: Was completely burned out. The structural damage would not be completely repaired until 1983. The prison cells were abandoned and a clock was installed above the gate. This clock, together with a bell cast in 1405, gave the tower the name of Zytglogge. In the late fifteenth century the tower was decorated with four decorative corner towerlets and heraldic symbols. The astronomical clock was extended to its current state in 1527–1530. In addition to
10700-508: Was diverted to power three city-owned watermills built in 1360. In the early twentieth century, a small hydroelectric plant was built in that location. Nearby, the busy Schiffländte (ship landing-place) allowed for the reloading of goods transported by boat up and down the river. The last neighbourhood to be built was the Äussere Neustadt ('Outer New City'), which added a third and final layer to Bern's defences starting in 1343. All of these walls, gates and earthworks were demolished in
10807-409: Was established near the Old City. This settlement was abandoned during the second century AD. From that time until the founding of Bern the area remained sparsely settled. The history of the city of Bern proper begins with its founding by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen in 1191. Local legend has it that the duke vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, which turned out to be
10914-476: Was given the title Duke of Windsor . There are also non-royal dukes in the United Kingdom. In Belgium , the title of Duke of Brabant (historically the most prestigious in the Low Countries , and containing the federal capital Brussels ) is awarded to the heir apparent of the monarch, other dynasts receiving various lower historical titles (much older than Belgium, and in principle never fallen to
11021-581: Was historically subdivided into four Viertel and four Quartiere . The Viertel were the city's official administrative districts . They were instituted for tax and defence purposes in the thirteenth century and ceased to be used in 1798 after the fall of the Ancien Régime in Bern. Of greater practical importance were the Quartiere , the four traditional neighbourhoods in which people of similar social and economic rank congregated. They emerged in
11128-410: Was known as Vor den Barfüssern around 1600 and in the 19th century was known as Bei der Ankenwaag or Ankenlaube or Salzlaube . Kesslergasse was the fur processing marketplace in the 15th century. In 1514 it became the butter market and in 1778 it became the butchers ' market. Münsterplatz came into existence in 1430 when the church yard of St. Vinzenzen's Church was demolished to make way for
11235-553: Was located about where the Choir of the church now stands, with the church tower resting on the southern corner of the donjon . From 1341 to 1346 a church with a small steeple was built on the ruins of the castle. Then, between 1480 and 1483 a tower was added to the church. The central nave was rebuilt in 1493 to 1504. In 1529, following the Reformation, the Nydegg Church was used as a warehouse for wood and grain. Later, in 1566,
11342-468: Was placed outside of the mosaic. The Untertorbrücke (German: Lower Gate bridge) is the oldest bridge in Bern still in existence. The original bridge, most likely a wooden walkway, was built in 1256 and spanned the Aare at the Nydegg Fortress. The bridge was destroyed in a flood in 1460. Within one year, construction began on a new stone bridge. The small Mariakapelle ( Mary 's Chapel) located in
11449-409: Was repainted by Gotthard Ringgli and Kaspar Haldenstein in 1607–10, who introduced the large clock faces that now dominate the east and west façades of the tower. The corner towerlets were removed again sometime before 1603. In 1770–71, the Zytglogge was renovated by Niklaus Hebler and Ludwig Emanuel Zehnder , who refurbished the structure in order to suit the tastes of the late Baroque , giving
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