Nydeggbrücke Bridge

The Nydeggbrücke is the high stone bridge that carries the road across the Aare at the lower end of Bern’s Old Town. It was built between 1840 and 1844, replacing older crossings, and its arches were a bold piece of engineering for the time, rising high above the river to connect the Old Town peninsula with the quarters on the eastern bank. It is a heritage structure, recognised as a Swiss Heritage Site, and one of the most elegant of the city’s bridges. It carries road traffic as well as pedestrians, with pavements on both sides, so it is not a car-free crossing, but its pavements are wide enough for a comfortable walk.

The bridge takes its name from the Nydegg, the old castle hill at the end of the peninsula where Bern’s first fortress stood before the town grew. Today the Nydegg church stands there, and the neighbourhood around it, with its lanes and old houses, is among the quietest and most atmospheric parts of the Old Town. The bridge leaps from this spot across the valley, and from its middle you look down on the Aare River, which flows fast and green far below, and across to the opposite slopes. Looking upstream, the roofs and towers of the Old Town rise in layers, and downstream, you see the Untertorbrücke, the older stone bridge that is the city’s original crossing of the Aare. Looking down at the Bärengraben and the Bear Park below completes the picture.

The viewpoint is one of the best for photographs of Bern. The Old Town, the cathedral spire, the old mill quarter and the wooded banks form a coherent scene from the bridge, and it is especially good in morning light or at sunset. The eastern end of the bridge leads to the Bear Park and the Rosengarten, so a walk across and back can be the start of a longer loop. On the western side, the stairs and lanes lead down into the Matte or up to the Old Town’s main streets.

Because the bridge is high and open, it can be windy, and the traffic noise is noticeable at busy times. It is accessible at any time of day and no ticket is needed. Take care at the railings with children, and use the pavements and crossings.

From the Nydeggbrücke the views are good, and the bridge suits photographers, architecture fans and anyone walking between the Old Town and the Bear Park. It takes just a few minutes to cross, but the view justifies slowing down. Combine it with a walk along the Aare, a visit to the Rosengarten or a drink at the nearby Altes Tramdepot, whose terrace shares the same view.