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Three people stroll along a cobbled street in Bern. The Zytglogge tower can be seen in the background, surrounded by Swiss flags and blooming flowers.
The historic street leads to the Zytglogge, Bern's famous clock tower, surrounded by strolling people and architecture that radiates a lively and timeless elegance.
The photo shows the Zytglogge in Bern at night, with long trails of light from passing cars and illuminated historical buildings. The scene radiates a lively yet calm atmosphere.

Zytglogge (Clock Tower)

Bern’s streets, alleys and buildings have so many stories to tell, and right in the centre, in the lower old town, stands one of the city’s most famous landmarks: the Zytglogge (Clock Tower). Once a city gate, it now attracts people from all over the world.

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The photo shows a street in Bern that leads to the Zytglogge, the famous clock tower. The street is lined with traditional buildings with balconies and flags, including the Swiss flag.
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The picture shows a small group of people chatting at a fountain in a street in Bern. In the background, the Zytglogge tower towers above the scene, surrounded by Swiss and cantonal flags.
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The picture shows people in wheelchairs exploring the bustling city centre with its historic architecture and Swiss flags. The atmosphere is lively and inclusive, with a sense of community and accessibility.
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The picture shows a family walking along a street in Bern, with the Zytglogge tower in the background. They seem to be enjoying the day.
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The picture shows a street view in Bern at night, with the Zytglogge tower in the background and a row of flags hanging from the buildings along the street. It is quiet and the lighting creates a warm atmosphere.
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Every hour on the hour, people gather in front of the Zytglogge (Clock Tower) to watch this unique spectacle. That’s when the puppet show starts and you can see bears, a jester, a golden rooster and even Cronos, the god of time, ringing in the new hour.

Inside the tower, however, time seems to have stood completely still: medieval mechanics, thick stone walls and solid wooden beams transport visitors back in time.

Those who dare to climb the 130 steps or so to the top are rewarded with the breathtaking views of the UNESCO-listed old town, its rooftops, terraces and alleyways. On a clear day, you can even see the peaks of the Bernese Oberland.

A group of attentive tourists stand in the lively square in Bern, listening spellbound to the guide's explanations in front of the famous Zytglogge clock. The historical surroundings add to the educational atmosphere.
Tour of the Clock Tower (Zytglogge)
Brick Model “Zytglogge” (Clock Tower)

Of prisons, city fires and astronomical clocks

The picture shows the view of the Zytglogge astronomical clock that visitors get when they look through one of the windows in the tower. This is a close-up view.
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The picture shows the inside of a tower looking down through several storeys, with steel girders and ropes used for the mechanics of the tower clock.
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The picture shows a close-up of a narrow window in a thick wall through which you can see a golden aureole sculpture and ropes, probably part of the mechanism of an old clock.
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A person gazes in fascination at the complex inner workings of a historical clock. The scene, captured in a room full of old mechanics, radiates a deep interest and reverence for traditional craftsmanship.
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The picture shows the detailed dial of the astronomical clock on the Zytglogge tower in Bern, with Roman numerals, signs of the zodiac and golden accents.
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Fortified tower, prison, watch tower, fire watch and finally clock tower: In the course of time, the landmark has taken on various important roles for the city of Bern.

As Bern grew steadily and the city’s boundaries were expanded, the former tower became more and more central to the city. Reconstructed after the devastating fire of 1405, the Zytglogge (Clock Tower) now stood in the centre of the city, telling the people of Bern the time and dictating the rhythm of their life.

“The Zytgloggle (Clock Tower) is an important Bernese landmark, and the clacking of the pendulum inside the tower really reflects the relaxed attitude of the city of Bern.”
Patrik Bohnenblust, Berner Brotsommelier

The tower was also the most important building in the city in other respects: The Zytglogge (Clock Tower) was used to measure the hours of travel, which were then recorded on the hour stones along the cantonal roads. Cubits and fathoms – units of measurement that can still be seen on the gate as metres and double metres – served as guidelines for public control.

The unique clockwork of the Zytglogge (Clock Tower)

The picture shows the complex inner workings of the large historical clock of the Zytglogge, with cogwheels and cables, mounted on a metal structure within a stone building.
© Bern Welcome

The astronomical clock, known as the astrolabe, and the musical mechanism dating from 1530 have made the tower particularly famous.

Just before the hour changes, a crowing rooster announces a wonderfully whimsical puppet show: Bears dance in a circle, a jester mischievously strikes the hour too early, quarter-hourly chimes sound from the tower, Cronos, the god of time himself, turns the hourglass around, and finally, the gilded knight Hans von Thann strikes the bell in time with Cronos’ swinging sceptre.

Next to this spectacle, the hands of the astrolabe take a little longer to turn, but with no less precision: The astronomical clock above the entrance of the Zytglogge (Clock Tower) is a true work of art. The rotating spheres are an exact representation of the celestial bodies, with the earth at its centre and the sun, moon and stars orbiting around our planet.

This complex representation of the northern hemisphere always shows the current sign of the zodiac, the phase of the moon, the time of sunrise and sunset, and the date. Frescoes of the five planetary gods from Roman mythology adorn the space above the astrolabe

Brick Model “Zytglogge” (Clock Tower):A piece of Bernese city history for your home – assembled brick by brick with great attention to detail. Buy now.

Location

Bim Zytglogge 3
3011 Bern

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