Barenplatz (Bern)

Bärenplatz, the Bear Square, is an open space in the centre of Bern, just beside the Käfigturm at the point where the Old Town’s main shopping street meets the area around Bundesplatz and the Bundeshaus. Despite the name, it is a paved city square and not a park, whatever its function in the past, and the Aare River lies a short walk below: today it is a lively spot for meetings, markets and passing crowds, with cafés and shops around it and tram and bus stops close by.

The name goes back to the city’s long habit of keeping live bears. Bern’s symbol is the bear, and from the early 16th century the city kept bears at public expense, as a living emblem of its identity and, according to tradition, in line with the legend that gave the city its name. The animals were housed in enclosures in the centre of the city for centuries, and this square was the place where they were shown and where an early Bear Pit stood. In the 19th century the bears were moved to the larger pit, the Bärengraben, near the Nydegg Bridge at the lower end of the Old Town, where they remained until the modern Bärenpark opened beside it. The square kept the name, and a visit gives a way to connect the animal story with the street map.

Bärenplatz works well as a starting point for a walk. To the east lies the Old Town, with Marktgasse and the Zytglogge Clock Tower, and to the west the Bundesplatz and the Bundeshaus, the federal parliament building, are a few steps away. The railway station is a short walk, and the square is on the route of many city tours. Markets use the area on certain days, and small events and festivals are staged here in season, so check what is on if you want to see the square in action. The open space, framed by historic buildings, is also a good place to see how Bern handled the growth of a medieval town into a modern capital.

The streets close by include Spitalgasse, Marktgasse and the lanes off Waisenhausplatz, and fountains with painted figures stand at intervals nearby. A short walk brings you to the Käfigturm, the Prison Tower, and to the Kornhausplatz with its Child-Eater Fountain. These all belong to a stretch of Old Town where the street scene changes quickly, with shops at ground level and offices and apartments above.

Bärenplatz is a free, open-air space in the UNESCO-listed Old Town that can be visited at any time. It suits visitors who want to orient themselves in the centre, travellers interested in the story of the city’s bears and anyone looking for a coffee stop between sights. If you want to see living bears, continue down to the Bear Park.