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Bern was made a free imperial city in 1218 and, in 1353, it joined the Swiss Confederacy, becoming one of its eight early cantons. Since then, Bern became a large city-state and a prominent actor of Swiss history by pursuing a policy of sovereign territorial expansion. Since the 15th century, the city was progressively rebuilt and acquired its ...
On 28 November 1848, the National Council and the Council of States elected the city of Bern as the federal seat of Switzerland, but it would be known officially as the “federal city” rather than the “capital city”.
The City of Bern looks back on more than 800 years of history. It was founded by the Dukes of Zähringen in 1191. It joined the «Swiss Confederation in 1353 and was chosen as the capital city of the Confederation» in 1848.
Milestones in Bern’s history: 1191 Founded by the dukes of Zähringen. 1353 Joins the original «Swiss Confederacy». 1848 Selected as capital of Switzerland. In the 20th century the city developed into a modern service centre, the seat of international organisations and companies.
Sep 16, 2021 · So how did Bern, rather than more logical choices like Zurich or Geneva, become the federal city? Actually, before Bern became the seat of the government in 1848, this role rotated among several cities — very much like the role of the country's president rotates among the seven members of the Federal Council.
- Helena Bachmann
- news@thelocal.ch
Bern was founded in 1191 as a military post near the frontier between German-speaking and French-speaking areas. The young city extended its power over surrounding lands before entering the Swiss Confederation in 1353.
Bern began in 1191 as a military post. It grew into a city and then into an independent state. Bern became part of Switzerland in 1353. From the 1300s to the 1700s Bern was very powerful. This power ended, however, when the French invaded the city in 1798. French rule ended in 1803. Bern became the capital of Switzerland in 1848.
