precious-postcards

Old City of Berne

Founded in the 12th century on a hill site surrounded by the Aare River, Berne developed over the centuries in line with a an exceptionally coherent planning concept. The buildings in the Old City, dating from a variety of periods, include 15th-century arcades and 16th-century fountains. Most of the medieval town was restored in the 18th century but it has retained its original character.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/267

The Old City of Berne represents the adaptation of a medieval city into a modern capital. Berne was founded in 1191 by Berchthold V, Duke of Zähringen. After a fire in 1405, which almost completely destroyed the wooden-built town, the houses where rebuilt of sandstone. The medieval structure of the city originating from that time has remained unchanged up to the present day. 

After the Middle Ages, monumental fountains, the cathedral, patrician houses and large public monuments were added to the cityscape.

In 1848 the city became the capital of Switzerland. Currently, Berne has about 130.000 inhabitants. 

http://www.worldheritagesite.org/sites/berne.html