Bern, the stunning Swiss capital, is renowned for its historic architecture and tranquil setting along the Aare River. Established in 1191 as a fortress by Duke Berthold V, the city rose from the ...

BBC News, Bern One of the areas badly hit by the floods in Switzerland is Matte, in the capital's historic old town. Containing hundreds of 17th- and 18th-Century houses, Bern's old town - surrounded ...

Bern's 15th century cathedral, once Catholic, now Protestant, is capped by a 330-foot-tall tower, the highest in Switzerland. During the Reformation, Protestants destroyed religious icons.

You can usually tell a capital city: larger-than-life, in a hurry, full of its own importance. Except in Switzerland. Bern is so small and charming – all cobbles, arcades and wooded slopes, and ...