Bern

The trademark of this new culture centre, which was opened in 1998 in a grain storage house dating back... to around 1711, is the varied programme ranging from the new media, through architecture and design to video. The media room is used for staging debates and presentations and showing films. The regular parties are among the social highlights of the Bern calendar, and there is a list of all forthcoming events (incl. stage and library events) on the website of the Kornhaus. There is a restaurant in the basement which is an excellent place to try out some of the specialities of Bern. The magnificent guest rooms, with the central and side aisle, provide an almost sacred atmosphere. The Café im parterre is also a popular meeting point from 8 in the morning until late into the evening. more

The town's most impressive church is the cathedral. Its 100 m (300 ft) spire is the tallest in the land... and provides a splendid view of the old town and the Bernese Alps. Construction of the cathedral lasted from 1421 into the second half of the 16th century. The steeple was completed as late as 1893. The late gothic main portal by Erhart Küng, showing the Last Judgement, was spared by the iconoclasts during the Reformation - perhaps because people of high standing, too, are shown in hell. Inside, the lovely cycle of glass paintings on the chancel windows, the double ring of choir stalls and the "Himmlische Hof", the alter room adorned with magnificent keystones, are captivating. more

Early on in the 13th century, the so-called Frauenkloster zu Brunnadern already stood in the territory... of today’s Orangerie Elfenau at the river Aare. A prominent guest, the emigrated Russian Grand Duchess Anna Feodorowna, found refuge here and, in the year of 1814, purchased the estate along with the country house, which had been erected in 1735. Since the end of World War I, the city of Bern has been the proprietor of the Elfenau and later on established the municipal gardens there. Thus, the Elfenau became a popular recreational area for the city population. The harmonious interplay of nature and Baroque landscaping is especially remarkable. In the summer, the Elfenau, with its wide range of cultural events and exhibits, turns into a social gathering place, just like in the olden days. more