11 countries, 31 days, 1 continent

Switzerland

CAPITAL: Bern

FLAG: The national flag consists of an equilateral white cross on a red background, each arm of the cross being one-sixth longer than its width.

ANTHEM: The Swiss Hymn begins "Trittst in Morgenrot daher, Seh' ich dich in Strahlenmeer" ("Radiant in the morning sky, Lord, I see that Thou art nigh").

MONETARY UNIT: The Swiss franc 

CLIMATE: The climate of Switzerland north of the Alps is temperate but varies with altitude, wind exposure, and other factors; the average annual temperature is 9°c (48°f). The average rainfall varies from 53 cm (21 in) in the Rhône Valley to 170 cm (67 in) in Lugano. Generally, the areas to the west and north of the Alps have a cool, rainy climate, with winter averages near or below freezing and summer temperatures seldom above 21°c (70°f). South of the Alps, the canton of Ticino has a warm, moist, Mediterranean climate, and frost is almost unknown. The climate of the Alps and of the Jura uplands is mostly raw, rainy, or snowy, with frost occurring above 1,830 m (6,000 ft).

LANGUAGE: Switzerland is a multilingual state with four national languages—German, French, Italian, and Rhaeto-Romansch.

THE NAME OF BERN : There are several theories as to the derivation of the name. It may come from Brenodor, the name of a Celtic settlement built on the site. However, the popular story has that Bern was named after the bear (German: Bär), the first animal to be killed by its founder, Duke Berchtold von Zähringen, when he went hunting near his new city. Bears have a long association with the town, which has had a bear pit since the end of the 15th century.

ATTRACTIONS

  1. The Old City is the city center of Bern, surrounded from three sides by the Aare River and it is home to Switzerland's tallest cathedral 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 UNSESCO Cultural World Heritage Site ince 1983 due to the compact and generally intact medieval core and is an excellent example of incorporating the modern world into a medieval city.
  2. The bear is the heraldic animal of Bern. A visit to the bear park is a special experience for children as well as adults.   
  3. The Parliament building is the seat of the Swiss government and parliament.

  4.  The Cathedral of Bern is Switzerland's largest ecclestiastical building. Contstruction started in 1421and continued under a series of different builders for generations.

  5. The Rose Garden is a mecca for flower lovers and a great place to relaxe  with a wonderful view of Bern.
  6. Albert Einstein lived in Bern from 1903 to 1905 and develpoed his Theory of Relativity here. The Einstein House gives visitors a chance to see where the great physicist completely revolutionized our understanding of space and time. 
  7. The Botanic Garden is  located right in the heart of the city. It was instituted in 1859 in order to study plants.
  8. Bern Historical Museum
    Helvetiaplatz 5
    3005 Bern
    Tel. +41 31 350 77 11
    Fax +41 31 350 77 99
    E-Mail info@bhm.ch
     
     
    Opening times
    Tues to Sun 10.00 – 17.00
    Monday closed
    The Museum is also open from 10.00 to 17.00 on all holidays, including those that fall on a Monday. The Museum will remain closed on Christmas day

Contact

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