Berne Euro 2008 Travel Guide

Berne Euro 2008 City Profile

Population: 129,041

The modern city of Berne is the capital of Switzerland and the nation’s fourth most populous city. Located on the banks of the Aar river in the West of Switzerland, the city offers Alpine views and walks through wooded hills. Berne’s magnificent medieval town centre is recognised as a world heritage site.

Berne City History

Founded: 1191 AD

Duke Berthold V von Zähringen is credited as being the founder of the city of Berne. It is believed that he named the city to honour a bear he had killed. To this day the city feautures a bear pit where visitors can view the bears which once roamed freely in the woods.

Berne officially became part of the Swiss Confederation in 1353. Prior to this Berne had the prestige of being the largest independent city state in central Europe. In 1798 the French army invaded Berne as part of French attempts to set up a Helvetian Republic. The French revolutionary armies were soon expelled and Berne was named as the Swiss capital in 1831.

Berne City Culture

Official Language: Swiss German/French

Berne offers visitors an interesting blend of French and German culture. For centuries the city has been favoured by great artists and thinkers and Albert Einstein developed his Theory of Relativity whilst working as a clerk in a Berne patent office.

The mix of cultures in Berne has resulted in an interesting and varied nightlife and restaurant trade. Several fine cuisines can be sample in the city’s restaurants. Surprisingly, foreign food is far easier to sample than local dishes, but with patience visitors can find reasonably priced restaurants that offer up classic Swiss fondues. Bellevue Palace is reported to be the Swiss president’s restaurant of choice.

Berne Euro 2008 Travel

Closest Airport: Berne International Airport

For Euro 2008 travellers visiting Berne by plane there are two airports offering access the Swiss Capital. The first is Zurich airport, which is serviced by all the major airlines and is within a 30 minute train journey of Berne. The second airport servicing the city is the Berne International Airport which receives a smaller number of airlines, but is located within a short drive of the city center.

For Euro 2008 travel by train Berne is serviced by the main Swiss Federal Line linking Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich. Trains leave promptly each half hour from these stations. Schedules and further details are available here.

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