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Tourist information - Berne
Bern or Berne is a city and capital of Switzerland and also capital of Bern Canton, in western Switzerland. It is situated on a lofty promontory surrounded on three sides by a bend of the Aare River. The old battlements of the city, converted into promenades, command a magnificent view of the surrounding alpine scenery.
The bear is the heraldic emblem of Bern, and a bear pit, maintained since 1513, is one of the notable sights of the city. Principal public buildings are the houses of parliament; a Gothic cathedral, begun in 1421 and finished in 1611; and the town hall, dating from 1406. The University of Bern (1834) has departments of law, medicine, philosophy and science, and theology. Bern Library, which now includes the university library, contains many manuscripts and rare books. Bern has four museums, containing, respectively, collections of Swiss art and exhibitions dealing with history, natural history, and alpine subjects.
The principal activities carried on in the city are governmental and administrative. Various international organizations, notably the Universal Postal Union, have headquarters here. Industrial activity includes the production of fine scientific instruments, textiles, machinery, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and chocolates. Two great annual fairs are held at Bern, and it has a large horse and cattle market.
Bern was founded in 1191 and made a free imperial city in 1218. It joined the Swiss Confederation in 1353. The so-called Disputation of Bern between Roman Catholics and Reformers in 1528 prepared the way for acceptance of the Reformed doctrine in Switzerland. The invasion of Switzerland in 1798 by the French revolutionary army overthrew the aristocratic regime, and during the 19th century the power of the church was limited, the constitution liberalized, and the principle of the referendum adopted. In 1885-86, Bern was the site of a conference held to formulate an international agreement on copyrights. The agreements, as well as the meeting itself, are known as the Berne Convention.
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