Bern, the capital of Switzerland, was founded by Duke Berthold V of Zahringen on a hill in a loop of the Aare river, which was easy to defend. According to legend, the duke named the town after the first animal he killed in a hunt there, a bear, which still appears on the city's coat of arms and is kept in the Bear Park. Bern became a free imperial city in the thirteenth century and joined the Swiss Confederation in the fourteenth. It grew into the most powerful city-state in the confederation, and its medieval centre, with arcades and fountains, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bern became the seat of the federal government in 1848, and Albert Einstein worked there as a patent clerk.
Before and after
- from 1187 to 1833Construction of Alcobaça Monastery
- from 20 September 1187 to 2 October 1187Conquest of Jerusalem
- from 1189 to 1192Third Crusade
- from 28 August 1189 to 12 July 1191Siege of Acre
- c. 1191Origins of Bern
- 7 September 1191Battle of Arsuf
- 1193Origins of Chernobyl
- 4 March 1193Death of Saladin
- 1194Construction of Minaret of Jam
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 1066Construction of Tower of London
- 1342Construction of Palace of Westminster
- from 1368 to 1644Ming dynasty
- from 1370 to 1789Construction of Bastille
- 1386Construction of Heidelberg University
- from 1438 to 1533Inca Empire
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 12th century.