The Bear's Oath — Uncover Bern's Medieval Secret

Your journey in Bern begins at BärenPark, the current bear park, opened in 2009. It is here, on the Aare riverbank, that legend tells of the city's foundation by Berthold V of Zähringen, who reportedly killed a bear during a hunt in 1191. The bear has been Bern's symbol since 1441, and the current residents, Njäna and Björk, who arrived from the UK in 2009, consume 10 kg of natural food daily. Looking at the natural enclosure, you discover the first letters of the oath, virtually engraved in a stone, reminding you of this place's importance to the identity of Switzerland's federal capital. This site is an ISOS historical monument.

Crossing the Nydeggbrücke, a 120 m bridge built between 1844 and 1845 to replace a medieval wooden bridge destroyed by a flood, you admire the view of the medieval towers of the Nydeggtor, 14th-century fortifications. This bridge connects the left bank of the Aare to the medieval Nydegg district. Your phone then reveals a coded message in the bridge's architecture, a series of symbols that only a keen eye can decipher. This passage leads you to the Nydeggkirche, a Reformed church built in late Gothic style between 1341 and 1348, with its 48 m high tower. Bern's citizens built it as a parish church, and its walls whisper the history of the Reformation, where Huldrych Zwingli had significant influence. A clue appears on Daniel Meyer's historical organ, dating from 1730.

Heading towards Marktgasse, you encounter the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, the Fountain of Justice, erected in 1543. The 3.8 m high statue of Justice holds her sword and scales, sculpted by Hans Rudy. This fountain, restored in 1995, is one of Bern's six intact baroque fountains (1542-1560) and provides drinking water. It is here, at the feet of the controversial figure of Moses executing adulterous women, that you decipher a new part of the oath, a direct link to the justice and order Berthold V of Zähringen sought to establish. This site is a key element of Switzerland's World Heritage.

Your journey then takes you to the Zytglogge, Bern's famous astronomical clock tower, built around 1527-1530. An old city gate from the 13th century (1218-1220), it houses Switzerland's oldest preserved clock mechanism, with a 4 m diameter dial. The automatons – soldiers, rooster, madman – have been striking the hour since 1530. As the animated figures come to life, an augmented reality time sequence reveals key events related to Albert Einstein, who resided at Kramgasse no. 49, right next door, from 1903 to 1905, writing his theory of special relativity there. Kramgasse itself, a cobbled shopping street with 14th-15th century arcades, is classified as a Swiss historical monument of national importance and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bern's Old Town 1983.

The journey culminates at the Berner Münster, the Gothic cathedral begun in 1421, whose tower, completed in 1893, stands at 100.8 m, the tallest in Switzerland. Climbing the 313 steps provides a 360° panorama of Bern and its surroundings. Augusto Giacometti's modern stained-glass windows (1925-1936) illuminate the interior. Finally, your quest concludes in front of the Bundeshaus, the Federal Palace built between 1852 and 1902 in Neo-Renaissance style, home to the Swiss Parliament since 1902. Its 64 m high dome and 1902 frescoes symbolizing national history are a testament to modern Switzerland. It is in front of the Fountain of Justice (1852) that the bear's oath is fully revealed to you, a secret connecting Bern's founder to its future status as federal capital. You have now uncovered the heart of Bern's history.

At the end of this interactive tour and GPS scavenger hunt, you not only carry the solution to the Bear's Oath but also a deeper understanding of Bern's history, its emblematic monuments, and its world heritage. This thematic circuit has allowed you to discover concrete anecdotes about sites like the Zytglogge and the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, and to explore the city of Bern with family or friends from a new perspective. The exploration of the cobbled streets and historic sites of Bern's Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, leaves you with tangible memories of your role in revealing the medieval secret.