Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Bernese landmark

The cathedral in Bern is the magnum opus of the late Gothic period in Switzerland.

A symbol of what was once the largest city state north of the Alps towers above the old town of Bern. Its foundation stone was laid in 1421 but disease, war and static miscalculations delayed construction for many years. The tower was completed in 1588 at a height of 55m. The new gothic tower crown – nearly doubling its height – was not added until late in the 19th century.

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR