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The Bern train station is right next to the Old Town, so your walk through the historic zone begins the moment you arrive.
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The main street proceeds directly from the train station through the historic center, changing names five times in its five blocks, with shops all along the way. This road is remarkable not only for the ancient buildings and arcades that cover both sides, but for the spectacular Renaissance fountains down the middle.
The Kramgasse is some 330 meters (1,080 ft) long and lies at the center of the old city. It is the western half of the central axis of the city's oldest part, the Zähringerstadt, built right after the founding of the city in 1191. It is bounded to the west by the Zytglogge, Bern's iconic clock tower that served as the city's main gate tower in the 12th century. In the east, the Kreuzgasse, literally a "crossroads", separates it from the other half of the old main street, the Gerechtigkeitsgasse. Several narrow alleys and passageways connect the Kramgasse to the parallel Rathausgasse in the north and the Münstergasse in the south.
Both sides of the Kramgasse are covered with Lauben, stone arcades that protect pedestrians from inclement weather.
The Kramgasse was known as the Märitgasse (Swiss German for "Market Alley") until the 15th century and as the Vordere Gasse during the 16th century. The changes in name reflect the street's changes in character. In medieval times, it served as the city's marketplace, but after the Reformation the market stands were gradually replaced by stores. The street remained the commercial center of the city until the middle of the 19th century,its heyday being the 1840s.
Two covered arches at both ends of the Marketgasse block include the famous Clock Tower, the oldest building in town, whose astronomical clock still works after 500 years.
Einstein lived on this main street for eight years while developing the General Theory of Relativity, and his house is now open as a museum.
Among all the pretty towns of Switzerland, Bern is unique because most of the sidewalks in the historic section are covered by old arcades that continue for nearly four miles along most of the streets in the center. The stone arcades offer protection from sun and rain, but more importantly, create a special atmosphere that is somewhere between being outdoors and inside.
Because the buildings are small, department stores and franchises have stayed away, leaving most of the retail space for unique shops and galleries.
This historic section is only 400 meters long and wide, ideally suited for a walking tour, immersed in buildings that have not changed much since the Middle Ages. It is such a historic gem the town center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The word Bern means bear and this animal is the symbol and token of the city. At the end of town across the river they have their famous bear pits.
In recent years the government has greatly expanded this bear habitat to make it really a pleasant place for the bears to live. Previously it was not so nice, it was really just a bear pit, a hole in the ground lined with cement and a couple of bears living there, almost cruel place to keep the bears. But now it's become a vast outdoor zoo and the bears seem to be enjoying it -- they're having a great time. They created this landscaping that comes down the side of the hill right down to the river, and created several plunge pools for the bears to go swimming, and walkways so that the public can see the bears and the bears can see the people. It's all very well planned and of course it's all very safe. They're not going to jump out at you but you do get a chance to get very close to them.
Another important building is the Gothic cathedral with the nation's highest church tower at 328 feet, which you may climb for a birds eye view of the historic center.
When you're done visiting the main sites of Bern and you're going to walk back towards the train station, there are several other lovely side streets that you should explore so that you see something different on your way back. We walked over to the Rathaus, the City Hall, which has a very impressive Rathausgasse and another big church of St. Peter and Paul, and walked along the Rathausgasse for a block, another well preserved neighborhood.
Then we took a little detour on Brunnengasse. This too was a charming little street, very quiet, hardly any cars, and nice shops, a few restaurants and bars along the way, the old historic buildings and a lovely curvature to the lines of Brunnengasse, and that reconnects once again with the Rathausgasse.
Next you'll come across Kornhausplatz which is a large plaza that was first built about 600 years ago and it's always been one of the main plazas of the city. We absorb the sites of Bern before departing and heading back to Interlaken.