Bern Clock Tower

About the Clock Tower

Bern is the capital of Switzerland, known for its iconic Clock Tower (Zytglogge) - a medieval clock tower that has been the city's symbol for centuries. The city combines medieval architecture with modern Swiss efficiency, featuring the beautiful Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the famous Bear Park, the stunning Federal Palace, and the historic clock tower that continues to mark time in the heart of the city.

Constructed around 1218–1220 as the western gate of Bern's first town expansion, the Zytglogge lost its defensive role as the city grew and was rebuilt in stone after the great fire of 1405. Between 1527 and 1530 the clockmaker Kaspar Brunner installed the astronomical clock and mechanical figure play that still run today, and the tower long served as the reference point for the city's official time; the frequently repeated claim that all distances in the canton were measured from it is traditional rather than firmly documented. Today the tower stands within Bern's Old City, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, and it appears routinely in depictions of the city.