"After the fire of 1405 which almost completely destroyed the wooden-built town, the houses were rebuilt of sandstone. The medieval structure of the city originating from that time has remained unchanged up to the present day. From the 14th to the 16th century Berne reached the zenith of its power by enlarging its territory and gaining great political influence. In 1798 Napoleon's troops invaded Berne and thus the collapse of the Ancien Régime was witnessed. In 1834 Berne became a university town and in 1848 the Federal Capital of Switzerland as well as the capital of the Canton of Berne (second largest Swiss canton).

— Bern, The Capital of Switzerland in Pictures. back cover.

Details

The altitude of the city center is 1780 ft, the municipal area 20 sq m, nearly one third of which is public parks and woods. It is the seat of diplomatic missions and of several international organizations, e.g. Universal Postal Union, Central Office of International Railway Transports.

— Bern, The Capital of Switzerland in Pictures. back cover.