| ity of Berne is the Bundesstadt (ie. federal city, | | | | these fortifications, the city of Berne became |
| de facto capital) of Switzerland. It is the fifth | | | | prosperous up to the 19th century. |
| most populous city in Switzerland (after | | | | Berne was host to numerous congresses of the |
| Zürich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne) with | | | | Socialist First and Second Internationals during |
| over 128,000 people. | | | | World War I when Switzerland was a neutral |
| German is the official language of Berne. Bernese | | | | country. Berne is located in the Swiss plateau |
| German, spoken by most of the inhabitants, is | | | | within the Canton of Berne, area located central |
| the local Swiss German dialect. Several national | | | | western part of Switzerland and 20 km north of |
| languages can be heard in the community due to | | | | Bernese Alps. Berne’s landscape was |
| the existence of the large part of the federal | | | | developed by glaciers from the last Ice Age. |
| government, several embassies, and average | | | | Berne is bounded by the Guerten Mountain, with a |
| number of immigrants. The city of Berne also | | | | height of 858 meters, and the Bantiger, with a |
| operates as capital of the Canton of Berne, | | | | height of 947 meters. |
| Switzerland’s second most populous | | | | In the 19th century, the city, originally built on a |
| cantons. | | | | hilly peninsula and surrounded by the river Aar, |
| Albert Einstein, a German-born physicist, was | | | | expanded beyond these natural boundaries. |
| employed as a clerk at the Berne patent office. | | | | Bridges were built over the Aar River to give the |
| This is where he performed his experiments on | | | | city an opportunity to develop. |
| the theory of relativity. | | | | Berne is built on jagged land where there are |
| The city of Berne joined the young Swiss | | | | height differences between the Aar (Matte, |
| Confederation in 1353 and was made the leading | | | | Marzili) and mountains in Kirchenfeld and |
| member of the new state. During the French | | | | Länggasse. |
| Revolutionary Wars in 1798, it was occupied and | | | | As of the year 2005, the Social Democratic Party |
| stripped of most of its territories by French | | | | and three other Green parties have majority |
| troops. The city became the capital of the Canton | | | | representatives in both councils (3 to 2 and 43 to |
| of Berne and became the Swiss capital in 1848. | | | | 37, respectively). This council is referred jointly to |
| The city expanded its territories towards the | | | | as "Red-Green-Center" (Rot-Grün-Mitte). |
| borders of the peninsula formed by the river Aar. | | | | They are the one responsible to determine City |
| The western border of the city was marked by | | | | policy even there is no formal coalition agreement |
| the Zytglogge tower from 1191 until 1256, when | | | | existing. A system of general referendum settles |
| the Käfigturm took over this role until 1345, | | | | important issues in Switzerland which is under the |
| and was succeeded by the Christoffelturm | | | | direct democracy system. There are other key |
| (located close to today's train station) until 1622. | | | | political parties in Berne which include the Free |
| Big and small Schanze (entrenchment) | | | | Democratic Party (FDP), a free-market liberal, and |
| fortifications were built during the time of the | | | | the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), a |
| Thirty Years’ War to protect the whole | | | | nationalist and conservative group. |
| area of the peninsula. Due to the establishment of | | | | |