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Welcome to the Cathedral of Berne
The Cathedral of Berne is open every day. Exceptional closures of church and tower are possible due to weddings, funerals, constructions etc. Detailed information is available at our information desk during business hours.
   
SPECIALS
Audio Guide
Discover the hidden jewels of the Cathedral

Hire an Audio Guide and discover the Cathedral of Berne on your own. It takes about 40 mins, costs CHF 5.- and is available in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish.

  
Infostelle Münster
Henriette Urfer
Münsterplatz 1
Postfach 532
3000 Bern 8
Phone 031 312 04 62
e-mail the information desk


Opening Hours
Monday to Friday
 Church Tower
04.01.10 - 23.04.10 10:00-12:00
14:00-16:00		 10:00-11:30*
14:00-15:30*
26.04.10 - 15.10.10 10:00-17:00 10:00-16:30*

18.10.10 - 30.04.11

Saturday

 10:00-12:00
14:00-16:00		 10:00-11:30*
14:00-15:30*
02.01.10 - 27.03.10

03.04.10 - 16.10.10
 10:00-12:00
14:00-16:00
10:00-17:00		 10:00-11:30*
14:00-15:30*
10:00-16:30*
23.10.10 - 20.11.10

27.11.10 - 31.12.10
10:00-12:00
14:00-16:00
10:00-17:00
 10:00-11:30*
14:00-15:30*
10:00-16:30*
Sunday
10.01.10 - 18.04.10
25.04.10 - 17.10.10
24.10.10 - 24.04.11
11:30-16:00
11.30-17.00
11:30-16:00
11:30-15:30*
11.30-16.30*
11:30-15:30*

*last admission to the tower
The Cathedral of Berne
In the 12th century, there was a small church on the site of the present church. Towards the end of the 13th century, it was replaced by a larger church with three naves and a tower. Berne conquered a lot of land and became a very powerful city state. To show their power, they started building the present church in 1421. The first master-builder, Matthäus Ensinger, was called from Strasbourg to Berne. The Cathedral was built around the old church and the old church was only pulled down after they could hold the service in the choir of the new church.		  
In 1528, the reformation took place under the influence of Huldrych Zwingli. Most of the décor of the church was removed and destroyed. Some sculptures were used as filling material for the terrace of the Cathedral and were rediscovered in 1986. They are now displayed at the Historic Museum of Berne.

The top of the steeple was only added between 1889 and 1893. The present tower is 101 m tall and therefore Switzerland’s tallest steeple.

Highlights
The Cathedral of Berne is the largest and the most important late Gothic building in Switzerland. The stained glass windows, the «Heavenly Court» in the vaulting of the choir, the choir stalls and the main portal with its rich figure decor are of great importance nationwide.

The main portal (1460 – 1480) survived the reformation. It was completely renovated recently and impressively depicts the Last Judgement with the redemption and damnation of the souls.
Justice (main portal)
(foto: Emanuel Huber)

Visitors should take in the generous space of the Cathedral. It is also worth while to linger in the choir of the church. The sanctuary contains Switzerland’s most important late medieval stained glass windows. The passion window is the oldest. It was made in 1441 in Ulm and was brought to Berne. The vaulting of the choir is decorated with 87 saints, representing paradise. The first choir stalls of the Renaissance style in Switzerland were cut in oakwood in 1523.
200 years after the Reformation, organ music sounded for the first time again in the cathedral. In 1998/99, the attractive organ case from 1730/1751 was carefully restored and the instrument itself (1930) was extensively renovated.


Information
Booklets in English, postcards, posters and CDs are available at the Cathedral Information desk
call +41 31 312 04 62 or send an e-mail

For more information about the Cathedral of Berne see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Münster_of_Berne		 Choir and nave