Zytglogge (Clock Tower)
On Gingerguide's self-guided Bern audio tour, Zytglogge (Clock Tower) is a stop worth about ~30 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Bern Bern guide
About Zytglogge (Clock Tower)
Bern's most iconic landmark, a medieval astronomical clock tower from 1530 that performs an animated spectacle four minutes before every hour, a UNESCO World Heritage centrepiece.
The Zytglogge, from the Bernese German for "time bell", is Bern's most celebrated landmark and one of the finest medieval clock towers in Switzerland. The tower dates from the early 13th century, when it served as the city's western gate. The extraordinary astronomical clock mechanism was installed in 1530, the work of master clockmaker Caspar Brunner. The animated figures on the eastern face, a parade of bears, a jester, a crowing cockerel, a procession of knights, and a crowned figure turning an hourglass, perform their spectacle four minutes before each hour, drawing crowds of visitors throughout the day. Einstein walked past the Zytglogge daily during his years in Bern, and he later credited watching the clock with inspiring his thoughts on relativity and the nature of time.
Did you know? Albert Einstein walked past the Zytglogge daily during his Bern years and credited watching it with inspiring his thoughts on time and the special theory of relativity.
How much time do you need at Zytglogge (Clock Tower)?
Around ~30 min works well for Zytglogge (Clock Tower) — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Zytglogge (Clock Tower)?
Yes — Zytglogge (Clock Tower) made the cut as one of 22 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Bern. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Bern
Hear the story of Zytglogge (Clock Tower)
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