Bern is the capital city of Switzerland and the Altstadt (old town) has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. Although the naming of “Bern” is unclear, an interesting legend says the founder of the city decided to name the city after whatever animals he hunted first. In the end, it turned out to be a bear, thus the name “Bern” is given to the city. Whether this legend is true or not, the city does indeed make bear its symbol. The river Aare flows by the city which gives the town a picturesque view.
Bern old town is not very big; therefore, it is suitable for a one-day trip. A walk from the main train station through the old town of Bern and all the way up to the Rose Garden, one should get an overview of most of the important tourist attractions. Popular must-see includes Zytglogge(photo 4), the clock tower originally built in the 13th century and still carries the 15th century astronomical design on the clock as well as the various fountains (photo 5 is Simsonbrunnen: according to Wikipedia, he was born to a Israeli family who can’t have children, so his birth condition was promised by God under the condition that he doesn’t cut his hair. He was also granted great strength, thus he is able to kill the lion) on the way. One very eye-opening fountain is Kindlifresserbrunnen (child eating fountain) built in the 16th century. Some said, it is a symbol of earlier anti-Jews spirit…
