The Duchy of Burgundy emerged in the 9th century as one of the successors of the ancient Kingdom of the Burgundians , which after its conquest in 532 had formed a constituent part of the Frankish Empire . Upon the 9th-century partitions, the French remnants of the Burgundian kingdom were reduced to a ducal rank by King Robert II of France in 1004. Robert II's son and heir, King Henry I of France , inherited the duchy but ceded it to his younger brother Robert in 1032.
124-740: The Bahnhofplatz (Train Station Plaza) is a plaza just outside the Old City of Bern , the medieval city center of Bern , Switzerland . It was built following the destruction of the Christoffelturm which had been part of the third city wall . It is located north of Bubenbergplatz and surrounds the Heiliggeistkirche and Bern's central train station. It is part of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site that encompasses
248-465: A bear. Both the name of the city ( Bern can stand for Bär(e) n , bears) and its heraldic beast, come from this legend. At that time, much of today's Switzerland (then considered part of southern Burgundy ) was under the authority of the house of Zähringen. The Zähringer leaders, although with no actual duchy of their own, were styled dukes by decree of the German king and exercised imperial power south of
372-474: A century the Käfigturm remained the western boundary of Bern. However, as the city grew, people began settling outside the city walls. In 1344 the city started to build a third wall to protect the growing population. By 1346 the project was finished, and six new streets were protected by a wall and the Christoffelturm (German: St. Christopher Tower). The Christoffelturm remained the western border of Bern until
496-407: A horse in 1346; Countess Joan III followed him to the grave a year later, and the death of Odo IV in 1349 left the survival of the duchy dependent upon the survival of the young duke, a young child of two-and-a-half, and the last of the direct line of descent from Duke Robert I. By inheritance, Philip of Rouvres was Duke of Burgundy from 1349. He had already been Count of Burgundy and Artois since
620-610: A legal issue, the King of Navarre would certainly have had as good a chance of inheritance as the King of France, and perhaps better: proximity of blood was beginning to lose force in Europe, and, as events would subsequently prove, Burgundy had no intention of being absorbed into the French royal domain. But there was more in play than a simple legal issue: the Hundred Years' War was in full flow, and
744-399: A narrow hill bordered on three sides by the river Aare , its compact layout has remained essentially unchanged since its construction during the twelfth to the fifteenth century. Despite a major fire in 1405, after which much of the city was rebuilt in sandstone , and substantial construction efforts in the eighteenth century, Bern's old city has retained its medieval character. The Old City
868-461: A powerful and rich city-state, public fountains were added to Bern. A number of fountains were topped with large allegorical statues , eleven of which are still visible in the city. The fountains served to show the power and wealth of the city, as well as providing fresh water for the citizens of the city. Overall, the city remained nearly unchanged for the next two centuries. By the early nineteenth century, Bern had expanded as far as it could within
992-602: A purely geographical term, referring only to the area of the counties of the former Burgundy. Both the Duchy of Burgundy and the County of Burgundy emerged from these counties, aided by the collapse of Carolingian centralism and the division of the Frankish domains brought about by the Partition of Verdun in 843. In the midst of this confusion, Guerin of Provence attached himself to Charles
1116-596: A skeleton, claiming people from all professions and social classes. A "Dance of Death" was intended as a reminder that death would come to everyone regardless of wealth or status and may have been a comfort in a world filled with plagues and wars. The choir , in the eastern side of the Cathedral between the nave and the sanctuary , houses the first Renaissance choir stalls in Switzerland. The stalls are carved with lifelike animals and images of daily life. The Zytglogge
1240-474: Is home to Switzerland's tallest minster as well as other churches, bridges and a large collection of Renaissance fountains. In addition to many historical buildings, the seats of the federal , cantonal and municipal government are also situated in the Old City. It is a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site since 1983 due to the compact and generally intact medieval core and is an excellent example of incorporating
1364-553: Is one of the three oldest clocks in Switzerland. Following the first expansion of Bern, the Zytglogge was the gate tower of the western fortifications. At this time, it was a squat tower of only about 16 m (52 ft) in height which was open in the back. During the second expansion, to the Käfigturm, the Zytglogge wall was removed, and the tower was relegated to second-line status. Around 1270–1275 an additional 7 m (23 ft)
SECTION 10
#17328558422871488-447: Is simply untrue; the duchy had been granted to the heirs of Robert I, and were it not for the manner in which the descendants of Duke Robert II married and the circumstances under which Philip of Rouvres died, John II, who made his claim to the duchy as the son of Joan of Burgundy and the grandson of Robert II, rather than as the feudal overlord of all France, would never have inherited it. The claim, however, that upon his inheritance of
1612-655: Is supported by 14 monolithic columns made of sandstone and has a free-standing pulpit in the northern part of the nave . Much like the St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva , the Church of the Holy Ghost holds about 2,000 people and is one of the largest Protestant churches in Switzerland. From 1693 to 1698 the hospital's chief minister was the Pietist theologian, Samuel Heinrich König. In 1829 and 1830,
1736-513: Is the fundamental principles that Switzerland was founded on; including independence , freedom , separation of government powers , order and security. The final theme is the cultural and material variety of Switzerland; including politically (represented by Canton flags), geographically and socially. The two chambers where the National Council and the Council of States meet are separated by
1860-558: Is the landmark medieval clock tower in the Old City of Bern. It has existed since about 1218–1220 and is one of the most recognisable symbols of Bern. The name Zyglogge is Bernese German and translates as Zeitglocke in Standard German or time bell in English. A "time bell" was one of the earliest public timekeeping devices, consisting of a clockwork connected to a hammer that rang a small bell at every full hour. The Zytglogge clock
1984-459: Is the tallest in Switzerland. The largest bell in the bell tower is also the largest bell in Switzerland. This enormous bell, weighing about 10 tons and 247 cm (8.1 ft) in diameter, was cast in 1611 and is still rung every day. It is possible to stand next to the bell when it is rung, but one has to cover one's ears to avoid hearing damage. Above the main portal is a rare complete collection of Gothic sculpture. The collection represents
2108-527: The Christoffelturm to open up the west end of the city. Following a very close vote, the decision to remove the Christoffelturm and city wall was made on 15 December 1864. In the spring of the following year Gottlieb Ott led the team that removed the tower. Currently, the former location of the Christoffelturm is a large road interchange, a major bus station and the central train station. Following
2232-477: The Münstergasse (Cathedral Alley) and Herrengasse (Lords' Alley), while guilds and merchants' shops clustered around the central Kramgasse (Grocers Alley) and Gerechtigkeitsgasse (Justice Alley). Junkerngasse ( Junker Lane), which is parallel to Gerechtigkeitsgasse , was originally known as Kilchgasse (Church Lane) but was renamed because of number of patricians or untitled nobility which lived on
2356-509: The Nydeggstalden and the Mattequartier together constitute medieval Bern's smallest neighbourhood. Workshops and mercantile activity prevailed in this area, and medieval sources tell of numerous complaints about the ceaseless and apparently nerve-wracking noise of machinery, carts and commerce. The Matte area at the riverside features three artificial channels, through which Aare water
2480-585: The Sonderbundskrieg (German: Separate Alliance War) in 1847, Switzerland established a federal constitution and Bern was chosen as the capital of the new Federal State. The vote to make Bern the federal city was met with little enthusiasm (419 vs 313 votes) in Bern due to concerns over the cost. The first Bundesrathaus or Parliament House was built in 1852–1857 by the city of Bern in a New-Renaissance style. The mirror image Bundeshaus Ost (East Federal Building)
2604-656: The Bourbonnais – had failed; Odo IV's wife Joan , however, was sovereign Countess of Burgundy and Artois , and the marriage reunited the Burgundys again. They were not, however, reunited for long. The marriage of Duke Odo and Countess Joan in 1318 produced only one surviving child, Philip; he married another Joan, the heiress of Auvergne and Boulogne , but they again only produced a single surviving child, Philip I, Duke of Burgundy , also known as Philip of Rouvres. The elder Philip predeceased both of his parents in an accident with
SECTION 20
#17328558422872728-600: The Bundeshaus West (built in 1852–57), the central Parliament Building (built in 1894–1902) and the Bundeshaus East (built in 1884–1892). The central plaza in front of the Parliament building was built into a fountain in 2004. The plaza was paved with granite slabs and 26 water jets, one for each canton, were hidden under the plaza. The design of the plaza has won two international awards. The central Parliament Building
2852-517: The Bärengraben were moved from the Old City across the Aare on 27 May 1857. In the twentieth century, Bern has had to deal with incorporating the modern world into a medieval city. The plaza where the Christoffelturm used to be, has become the central bus stop for the city. The main train station was built under the plaza, and actually includes some of the foundations from the Christoffelturm and wall in
2976-486: The Bärengraben . Bern was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites because of "an exceptionally coherent planning concept" and because "the medieval town...has retained its original character". Bern owes its coherent planning concept and its famous arcades to a disaster. In 1405 a fire broke out in Bern, which was mostly wooden buildings at the time. The fire raced through the city and destroyed most of
3100-584: The Capetians . As time passed, the state was built up and stabilised; a miniature court in imitation of the royal court at Paris grew around the dukes; the Jours Generaux, a replica of the Parlement of Paris sat at Beaune ; bailiffs were imposed over the provosts and lords of the manor responsible for local government, while the duchy was divided into five bailiwicks . The duchy became increasingly involved in
3224-645: The Hall of the Dome . The dome itself has an external height of 64 m, and an internal height of 33 m. The mosaic in the center represents the Federal coat of arms along with the Latin motto Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno ( One for all, and all for one ), surrounded by the coat of arms of the 22 cantons that existed in 1902. The coat of arms of the Canton of Jura , created in 1979,
3348-562: The Holy Land , and Odo I, Duke of Burgundy died during the Crusade of 1101 . Under the competent leadership of Robert II (r. 1271–1306), one of the more notable dukes of the Capetian period, Burgundy reached new levels of political and economic prominence. Previously, the development of the duchy had been impeded by the bestowal of minor lands and titles on younger sons and daughters, diminishing
3472-630: The Normans , and served as a haven for persecuted monks. Under Rudolph of France (also Raoul or Ralph), the son of Richard, Burgundy was briefly catapulted to a position of prominence in France, since he became King of France in 923 after acceding to the Burgundian territories in 921. It was from his territories in Burgundy that he drew the resources needed to fight those who challenged his right to rule. Under Hugh
3596-459: The Oberer Spital . The second church was demolished in 1726 to make way for a new church building, which was built in 1726–29 by Niklaus Schiltknecht. The first organ in the new church was installed in 1804 and was replaced in 1933 by the second organ. The church has six bells, one of the two largest was cast in 1596 and the other in 1728. The four other bells were all cast in 1860. The interior
3720-618: The Reconquista in Spain at the end of the eleventh century, campaigning against Muslim taifas and forming marriage alliances with the Spanish royalty. Robert's daughter Constance married King Alfonso VI of León and Castile , and his grandson Henry married Theresa of León to found the Portuguese House of Burgundy . With the advent of First Crusade , the attention of Burgundian dukes shifted to
3844-611: The Rhine . To establish their position there, they founded or expanded numerous settlements, including Fribourg (in 1157), Bern, Burgdorf and Morat . The area chosen by Berchtold V was a hilly peninsula bounded by the Aare on three sides. This location made the city easy to defend and influenced the later development of the city. The long, narrow shape of the peninsula made the city develop as several long, parallel rows of houses. The only major cross streets (going north and south) developed along
Bahnhofplatz - Misplaced Pages Continue
3968-494: The Treaty of Arras (1482) . Maximilian recognised the annexation of the Duchy and County of Burgundy and several other territories. France thus retained most of its Burgundian fiefdoms except for the affluent County of Flanders , which passed to Maximilian and Mary's descendants (but soon rebelled ). With the 1493 Treaty of Senlis , Maximilian regained for his and Mary's descendants the County of Burgundy , Artois and Charolais , but
4092-589: The late Middle Ages , overlap the Viertel boundaries and remain easily identifiable in today's cityscape. The central and oldest neighbourhood is the Zähringerstadt ( Zähringer town), which contained the medieval city's principal political, economic and spiritual institutions. These were strictly separated: official buildings were situated around the Kreuzgasse (Cross Alley), ecclesiastical buildings were located at
4216-411: The vicar of the church was the poet Jeremias Gotthelf . There are over 100 public fountains in the city of Bern of which eleven are crowned with Renaissance allegorical statues. The statues were created during the period of civic improvement that occurred as Bern became a major city-state during the sixteenth century. The fountains were originally built as a public water supply. As Bern grew in power,
4340-738: The Bald , youngest son of King Louis the Pious of the Franks, and aided him in the Battle of Fontenay against Charles's eldest brother, the Emperor Lothar . When the Frankish kingdom in the west was divided along the boundary of the Saône and Meuse (dividing geographical Burgundy in the process), Guerin was rewarded for his services by the king by being granted the administration of the counties of Chalon and Nevers , in which he
4464-580: The Black (d. 952) came the beginning of what would be a long and troubled saga for Burgundy. His neighbours were the Robertian family, who held the title of Duke of Francia . This family, wanting to improve their standing in France and against the Carolingian kings, attempted to subject the duchy to the suzerainty of their own duchy. They failed; eventually, when they appeared close to success, they were forced to scrap
4588-531: The Bold , was also his favourite most renowned. Philip had distinguished himself in 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers , when at the age of fourteen he bravely fought alongside his father to the bitter end. It occurred to him to both honour his son and soothe the ruffled feelings of the Burgundians by investing him as Duke of Burgundy. Accordingly, the king appointed Philip governor of Burgundy in late June 1363, following which
4712-618: The Burgundians maintaining their own law code, the Loi Gombette . However, southern Burgundy was pillaged by the Saracen invasion of the 8th century. When Charles Martel drove the invaders out, he divided Burgundy into four commands: Arles-Burgundy, Vienne-Burgundy, Alamanic Burgundy and Frankish Burgundy. He appointed his brother Childebrand governor of Frankish Burgundy. Under the Carolingians , Burgundian separatism lessened and Burgundy became
4836-508: The Cathedral Terrace, making the terrace a rich archaeological site. The only major pieces of art that survived the iconoclasm inside the cathedral are the stained-glass windows and the choir stalls. The stained-glass windows date from 1441–1450 and are considered the most valuable in Switzerland. The windows include a number of heraldic symbols and religious images as well as an entire " Dance of Death " window. This window shows death, as
4960-697: The Christian belief in the Last Judgment where the wicked will be separated from the righteous. The large 47 free-standing statues are replicas (the originals are in the Bern History Museum) and the 170 smaller statues are all original. The interior is large, open and fairly empty. Nearly all the art and altars in the cathedral were removed in 1528 during the iconoclasm of the Protestant Reformation. The paintings and statues were dumped in what became
5084-584: The Duchy of Burgundy and Picardy were lost definitively to France. In 1526, Mary's grandson Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor was restored to the title and territory by the French King Francis I , under duress as part of the Treaty of Madrid . But Francis I repudiated the Treaty as soon as he was able, and Charles V never managed to secure control of the duchy. Further, with the abdication of Charles V as Holy Roman emperor, Henry II of France argued that since
Bahnhofplatz - Misplaced Pages Continue
5208-608: The French crown. The endeavour failed; when Charles the Bold died in battle leaving no sons, Louis XI of France declared the duchy escheated and absorbed the territory into the French crown. Charles's daughter, Mary , inherited the rest of his domain and claimed the Duchy of Burgundy. Her heirs called themselves dukes of Burgundy, refusing to accept the loss of the duchy. The War of the Burgundian Succession took place from 1477 to 1482. Eventually, King Louis XI of France and Archduke Maximilian of Austria , Mary's widower, signed
5332-469: The Good of France. Richer promises were made to the young duke. He could expect to inherit Auvergne and Boulogne on his mother's death, and a marriage was arranged between himself and the young heiress of Flanders , Margaret of Dampierre , who could promise to bring Flanders and Brabant to her husband eventually. By 1361, aged 17, he appeared to be on track to continue the duchy's steady rise to greatness. It
5456-520: The King of Navarre, as an ally of England and an enemy of France, was distasteful to the Burgundians, who in meetings of the Estates during John II's English captivity had been consistently loyal to John and his son the Dauphin , and opposed to the King of Navarre. Furthermore, John II had the support of John of Boulogne and Margaret of France. The former was a staunch ally of the king, an alliance strengthened by
5580-462: The Old City. Following the destruction of the third city wall and the Christoffelturm in 1830-32, a plaza was opened up between the Burgerspital and Neuengasse . Initially the plaza was known as Kasernenplatz ( Barracks Plaza) due to the neighboring cavalry barracks, though the name quickly changed to Spitalplatz (Hospital Plaza) due to the nearby Burgerspital . The plaza was the site of
5704-408: The Pious , King of France, and his stepson, Otto-William , count of Mâcon (kingdom of France) and count of Burgundy (kingdom of Burgundy), whom Henry had adopted. Robert claimed the duchy by his dual rights as feudal overlord and nearest blood-relative of the deceased. Otto-William disputed his claim as a potential heir, starting a war with the help of his son-in-law, Landry count of Nevers . Had
5828-481: The Pious gave the territory to his younger son and namesake, Robert I, Duke of Burgundy . When King Henry I of France , acceding in difficult circumstances (1031), found it necessary to secure the loyalty of Robert, his brother, he further enhanced the rights given to his brother (1032). Robert was to be Duke of Burgundy; as ruler of the duchy, he would "enjoy the freehold thereof", and have the right "to pass it on to his heirs". Future dukes were to owe allegiance only to
5952-566: The Zytglogge was thoroughly renovated again and generally restored to its 1770 appearance. The Parliament Building (German: Bundeshaus , French: Palais fédéral , Italian : Palazzo federale , Latin : Curia Confoederationis Helveticae ) is built along the southern edge of the peninsula and straddles the location of the former Käfigturm wall. The building is the used by both the Swiss Federal Council or Executive and Parliament or Federal Assembly of Switzerland . The complex includes
6076-440: The astronomical clock, the Zytglogge features a group of mechanical figures. At three minutes before the hour the figures which include a rooster, a fool, a knight, a piper, a lion and bears, put on a show. The animals chase each other around, the fool rings his bells and the rooster caws. During the day it is common to see small crowds gathered around the foot of the Zytglogge waiting for the show to start. The Zytglogge's exterior
6200-408: The buildings in town. In the wake of this disaster, the city was rebuilt with all stone houses in similar medieval styles. The arcades were added throughout the fifteenth century as houses expanded in the upper stories out into the street. Throughout the next three centuries houses were modified, but the essential elements (stone construction, arcades) remained. In the sixteenth century, as Bern became
6324-623: The bulk of the Burgundian possessions in the Low Countries passed to Charles' daughter, Mary , and her Habsburg descendants. The Duchy of Burgundy was a successor of the earlier Kingdom of the Burgundians , which evolved out of territories ruled by the Burgundians , an East Germanic tribe that arrived in Gaul in the 5th century. The Burgundians settled in the area around Dijon , Chalon-sur-Saône , Mâcon , Autun and Châtillon-sur-Seine , and gave
SECTION 50
#17328558422876448-406: The cabbage market in Bern. In June 1857, the SCB ( German : Schweizerische Centralbahn , or Swiss Central Train Line) completed a line between Basel and Bern. Then, two years later the Bern- Thun line opened and on 2 July 1860 another line reached Thörishaus, now part of Köniz . While the rail lines were being built, a central train station was built on the northern end of the plaza. During
6572-401: The church was again used for religious services and in 1721 was placed under the Münster. The Holy Ghost Church ( German : Heiliggeistkirche ) is a Swiss Reformed Church at Spitalgasse 44. It is one of largest Swiss Reformed churches in Switzerland. The first church was a chapel built for the Holy Ghost hospital and abbey. The chapel, hospital and abbey were first mentioned in 1228 and at
6696-422: The city that merit special mention. All of these buildings are also listed in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance. The Münster of Bern (German: Berner Münster ) is a Protestant Gothic cathedral located on the south side of the peninsula . Construction on the Münster began in 1421 and finished with the bell tower in 1893. The bell tower is 100 m (328 ft) and
6820-447: The city walls, which were moved to allow the city to expand. Therefore, the cross streets mark the stages of development in the Old City of Bern. On the eastern end of the peninsula a small fort, called Castle Nydegg, was founded by Berchtold IV in the second half of the twelfth century. Either when the fort was built or in 1191, the city of Bern was founded around the eastern end of the peninsula. The first expansion of Bern occurred as
6944-469: The city was founded. Most likely the first city started at Nydegg Castle and reached to the Zytglogge ( Swiss German : clock tower). The city was divided by three longitudinal streets, which stretched from the Castle to the city wall. Both the position of the town church and the shape of the eaves were typical for a Zähringer city. During the first half of the thirteenth century two additional streets ( Brunngasse and Herrengasse ) were added. Brunngasse
7068-405: The construction of the Nydeggbrücke in 1840, the Untertorbrücke was the only bridge crossing the Aare near Bern. See List of Aare bridges in Bern . The original Nydegg Castle was built around 1190 by either Duke Berchtold V. von Zähringen or his father Berchtold IV. as part of the city defenses. Following the second expansion, the castle was destroyed by the citizens of Bern in 1268. The castle
7192-452: The construction of the new station, the plaza was renamed Bahnhofplatz. On 1 January 1901, the SCB was nationalized and the Bern station went over to the newly formed Swiss Federal Railways . 46°56′52.82″N 7°26′25.11″E / 46.9480056°N 7.4403083°E / 46.9480056; 7.4403083 Old City of Bern The Old City ( German : Altstadt ) is the medieval city center of Bern , Switzerland. Built on
7316-400: The crown of France and be overlords of the duchy, beneath the ultimate authority of the kings of France. Robert gladly agreed to this arrangement, and the era of the Capetian dukes began. Robert found that it was largely a theoretical power that he had been granted. Between the reign of Richard the Justiciar and Henry the Venerable , the duchy had fallen into anarchy, a condition heightened by
7440-450: The customs of the territories, they were required to pass to the next in line to inherit in each respective territory. The counties of Auvergne and Boulogne – inherited by Philip upon his mother's death a year earlier – passed to the next heir, Jean de Boulogne, the brother of Philip's grandfather William XII of Auvergne. The counties of Burgundy and Artois passed to the sister of Philip's grandmother Countess Joan, Margaret of France, herself
7564-403: The death of King John, King Charles V issued a letters patent to publicly establish the fact of Philip's title. Under the Valois dukes of Burgundy, the duchy flourished. A match between Philip the Bold and Margaret of Dampierre – the widow of Philip of Rouvres – not only reunited the duchy with the County of Burgundy once more, as well as with the County of Artois , but also served to bring
SECTION 60
#17328558422877688-450: The death of his grandmother, the Countess Joan of Burgundy and Artois, in 1347. In practice, though, the duke his grandfather had continued to rule over these counties as he had done since his marriage to Countess Joan, Philip of Rouvres being only a baby. With the old duke's death, the duchy and its associated territories were governed by the young duke's mother, Joan I , Countess of Auvergne and Boulogne, and by her second husband, King John
7812-485: The ducal fisc . Robert firmly ended this practice, stating in his will that he left to his eldest son and heir, Hugh , and after Hugh to his heir, "all the fiefs, former fiefs, seigneuries and revenue... belonging to the duchy". The younger children of Robert would receive only annuities; since these derived from property held by Hugh, these younger children would need to owe liege homage to ensure their income. Hugh V died in 1315; his brother Odo IV succeeded. Himself
7936-410: The ducal demesne and the number of vassals dependent upon the dukes. They made an income for themselves by demanding cash payments in exchange for recognition of a lord's feudal rights within the duchy, by skillful management of loans from Jewish and Lombard bankers, by the careful administration of feudal dues and by the ready sale of immunities and justice. The duchy itself benefited from the rule of
8060-430: The duchy for the French crown by gaining control of all the Burgundian counties west of the Saône, including Dijon; prospects of a united Burgundy evaporated, and the duchy became irreversibly French in outlook. For a time, the duchy formed part of the royal domain ; but the French crown could not hope at this time to administer such a volatile territory. The realities of power combined with Capetian family feuding: Robert
8184-415: The duchy it was merged with the crown is more difficult to refute: for while this in itself certainly was not the case, he immediately attempted to merge the duchy into the crown by means of letters patent . He proclaimed in the relevant document that he was taking possession by virtue of his descent from the dukes and continued that as the duke, he immediately gave the duchy to the French crown, with which it
8308-416: The duke had stated that he directed and appointed as heirs to his "county, and to our possessions whatever they may be, those, male and female, who by law or local custom ought or may inherit". Since his domains all practiced succession by primogeniture, there was no question of his dominions passing en bloc to any one man or woman – they had come to Philip of Rouvres by different paths of inheritance, and so by
8432-419: The eighteenth or nineteenth century. Duchy of Burgundy The other portions of the Kingdom of the Burgundians had passed to the Imperial Kingdom of Burgundy-Arles , including the County of Burgundy (Franche-Comté). Robert became the ancestor of the ducal House of Burgundy , a cadet branch of the royal Capet dynasty , ruling over a territory that roughly conformed to the borders and territories of
8556-408: The elder daughter, and the wife of Louis X of France, had died in 1315, leaving only a daughter, Joan II of Navarre. Joan of Burgundy, the younger daughter, and the wife of Philip VI of France, had died in 1348, leaving two sons, John II of France and Philip of Orléans. Out of these three, Joan of Burgundy's sons were still alive; Joan II, however, had died in 1349, leaving three sons, the eldest of whom
8680-399: The eldest son of his deceased eldest son Edward , rather than by his son John of Gaunt , the eldest of Edward III's sons still living. A case of proximity of blood was that of Artois in 1302, which had on the death of Count Robert II been inherited by Mahaut , his eldest living daughter, rather than by his grandson Robert , the eldest son of the count's already deceased son. In some cases,
8804-427: The estates of Burgundy – who had consistently opposed the previous governor, Tancarville – loyally granted him subsidies. Finally, in the final months of John the Good's reign, Philip the Bold was established as Duke of Burgundy. The king secretly created him duke on 6 September 1363 (in his dual role as duke giving his own title to his child and as king sanctioning this change in leadership) and, on 2 June 1364, following
8928-536: The famous Bärengraben (German: Bear Pits) were located in the Old City. According to the Bernese historian Valerius Anshelm , the first bears were kept on Bärenplatz (German: Bears' Plaza) in 1513. They were moved from the modern Bärenplatz to the Schanzengraben near the former Christoffelturm in 1764. However, the bears remained in the Old City until the expansion of the new capital forced them out. The bears and
9052-530: The figure dates from 1545. The Runner has moved several times since its creation, and until about 1663 was known as the Brunnen beim unteren Tor (Fountain by the lower gate). Originally the Läuferbrunnen had an octagonal trough and a tall, round column. The trough was replaced with a rectangular trough before 1757 which was replaced in 1824. The round column was replaced with the current square limestone pillar in
9176-808: The foundation for a Burgundian State which expanded further north in the Low Countries collectively known as the Burgundian Netherlands . Upon further acquisitions of the County of Burgundy, Holland , and Luxemburg , the House of Valois-Burgundy came into possession of numerous French and imperial fiefs stretching from the western Alps to the North Sea, in some ways reminiscent of the Middle Frankish realm of Lotharingia . The Burgundian State, in its own right,
9300-544: The four streets, known as the New City or Savoy City, that had sprung up outside the Zytglogge. The new west wall included a gate known as the Käfigturm (German: Prison Tower). Around 1268 Nydegg Castle was destroyed, and the city expanded into the area formerly occupied by the castle. In the south-east part of the peninsula below the main hill that the rest of the Old City occupied, a section known as Matte grew up. For almost
9424-436: The grandmother of Philip's young bride Margaret of Dampierre. The Duchy of Burgundy, however, proved a greater challenge to jurists. In the duchy, as in much of Europe at this time, two principles of inheritance were held valid: that of primogeniture and that of proximity of blood. A case of primogeniture was the succession of the English crown in 1377, which at the death of Edward III was inherited by his grandson Richard ,
9548-504: The grandson of King Louis IX of France by his mother, Agnes of France , he would also be the brother-in-law of two French kings – Louis X , married to his sister Marguerite, and Philip VI , married to his sister Joan – and the son-in-law of a third, Philip V , whose daughter Joan III, Countess of Burgundy , he married. Previous attempts to gain territory through marriage – Hugh III and the Dauphiné , Odo III and Nivernais , Hugh IV and
9672-491: The homage of the Burgundian nobility before he returned to France, leaving the Count of Tancarville as his deputy, but the Burgundian estates had, in their meeting around the time of the homage-swearing of 28 December, firmly given several pronouncements. They declared that the duchy intended to remain a duchy, that it had no intention of becoming a province of the royal domain, that there would be no administrative changes, and that it
9796-596: The main family line of the House of Habsburg had ceased ruling the Holy Roman Empire or Austria , the claim of the title by the Spanish Habsburgs was null and void. The territory of Burgundy remained part of France from then onwards. The title was occasionally resurrected for French princes, for example the grandson of Louis XIV ( Louis, Duke of Burgundy ) and the grandson of Louis XV , the short-lived Louis Joseph . The current king of Spain, Felipe , claims
9920-674: The marriage between the king and Joan of Boulogne, John of Boulogne's niece. As the daughter of a former King of France and one of the last living members of the senior branch of the House of Capet, the latter was staunchly French in her sympathies; besides which, Charles II had offended her by laying claim to lands in Champagne that had formed part of her sister Joan of France's dowry in marrying Odo IV and which were deemed now to pass to Joan's sister. These lands had derived from Joan I of Navarre, Countess of Champagne , grandmother of Margaret and Joan, and as
10044-424: The modern region of Burgundy (Bourgogne). Upon the extinction of the Burgundian male line with the death of Duke Philip I in 1361, the duchy reverted to King John II of France and the royal House of Valois . The Burgundian duchy was absorbed in a larger territorial complex after 1363, when King John II ceded the duchy to his younger son Philip . With his marriage with Countess Margaret III of Flanders , he laid
10168-567: The modern world into a medieval city. Numerous buildings in the Old City have been designated as Swiss Cultural Properties of National Significance , as well as the entire Old City. The earliest settlements in the valley of the Aare date back to the Neolithic period. During the second century BC, the valley was settled by the Helvetii . Following the Roman conquest of Helvetia , a small Roman settlement
10292-515: The name to the region. The Kingdom of the Burgundians was annexed by the Merovingian King of the Franks , Childebert I , in 534, following their defeat by the Franks. It was recreated, however, on several occasions when Frankish territories were redivided between the sons on the death of a Frankish king. As part of the Kingdom of the Franks , Burgundy maintained a semi-autonomous existence, with
10416-409: The nineteenth century ending with the destruction of Bern's greatest of its three guard towers, the Christoffelturm . Only the four central streets were lined with residential houses in late medieval times, while the rest of the area was devoted to agriculture and animal husbandry . While the entire old town of Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are a number of buildings and fountains within
10540-516: The nineteenth century. From 1622 to 1634 a series of defensive walls and strong points were added outside the Christoffelturm . These defensive walls, known as the Grosse Schanze and Kleine Schanze (large and small redoubts respectively) as well as the Schanzegraben (redoubt ditch or moat), were never used as living space for the city, though the Schanzengraben was used for a while to house
10664-416: The nobility willingly swore homage to him as their new duke, and the duchy saw only a few isolated and half-hearted acts of rebellion in favour of Charles II. The legal implications of the accession of John the Good are frequently misunderstood. It is not uncommon to read that, upon the death of Philip of Rouvres, "the Duchy of Burgundy, lying within France, therefore escheated to the French crown." This claim
10788-424: The old city walls. An increasing number of people were living outside the city walls in neighbouring communities. Throughout the nineteenth century, this ring of modern cities grew up around the Old City without forcing it to demolish the medieval city core. However, the growth around the Old City did lead to several projects. Within the Old City of Bern, many of the old stone buildings were renovated without changing
10912-578: The original fountains were expanded and decorated but retained their original purpose. Nearly all the sixteenth-century fountains, except the Zähringer fountain which was created by Hans Hiltbrand , are the work of the Fribourg master Hans Gieng : From east to west, the first fountain is the Läuferbrunnen (German: Runner fountain) near the Nydegg Church on Nydeggstalden . The trough was built in 1824, but
11036-454: The outer appearance. The bell tower was finally finished on the Münster (German: Minister or Cathedral), making it the tallest church in Switzerland. A new bridge was built across the Aare at Nydegg in 1842 to 1844. The new bridge was larger than the, still standing, old bridge, called Untertorbrücke, which had been built in 1461 to 1487. One of the biggest projects was the proposed destruction of
11160-481: The scheme and instead maintain Burgundy as a separate duchy. Two brothers of Hugh Capet , the first Capetian King of France, took up the rule of Burgundy as duke. First Otto and then Henry the Venerable maintained the duchy's independence, but the death of the latter without children proved a defining moment in the history of the duchy. Henry the Venerable died in 1002 leaving two potential heirs: his nephew, Robert
11284-566: The senior heir by primogeniture of Joan I, Charles was now laying claim to them. With this triple compact between the three heirs, Charles II was shut out: the support of a co-heir carried weight in deciding inheritance, and John II had the support of both, while Charles II had the support of neither. The nobility of the duchy, in the face of this, decided in favour of John II, who took immediate possession. He had already mobilised soldiers in Nivernais to do so by force if it proved necessary, but in fact,
11408-418: The side of the bridge column on the city side was blessed in 1467. However, the bridge wasn't finished until 1490. The new bridge was 52 meters (171 ft) long with the three arches spanning 13.5 m (44 ft), 15.6 m (51 ft) and 13.9 m (46 ft). The bridge was modified several times including the removal of the stone guard rails which were replaced with iron rails in 1818–19. Until
11532-525: The southern side of the peninsula. The second oldest neighbourhood, the Innere Neustadt ('Inner New City'), was built during the city's first westward expansion in 1255, between the first western wall guarded by the Zytglogge tower and the second wall, guarded by the Käfigturm . Its central feature is the broad Marktgasse (Market Alley). Situated in the northeast and southeast of the Aare peninsula,
11656-613: The task of restoring the ducal demesne and strengthening ducal power. In this, it would be seen, the dukes were well-suited to the task: none were remarkable or outstanding men who swept all opposition away before them; rather, they were persevering, methodical, realistic, able and willing to seize any opportunity presented to them. They used the Law of Escheat to their advantage: Auxois and Duesmois fell into ducal hands through reversion, these feudatories having no heir able to administer them. They purchased both land and vassalage, which built up both
11780-457: The time sat about 150 meters (490 ft) outside the western gate of the first city wall. This building was replaced by the second church between 1482 and 1496. In 1528 the church was secularized by the reformers and the last two monks at the Abbey were driven out of Bern. During the following years it was used as a granary. In 1604 it was again used for religious services, as the hospital church for
11904-490: The tower its contemporary outline. Both façades were again repainted in the Rococo style by Rudolf von Steiger in 1890. The idealising historicism of the design came to be disliked in the twentieth century, and a 1929 competition produced the façade designs visible today: on the west façade, Victor Surbek 's fresco "Beginning of Time" and on the east façade, a reconstruction of the 1770 design by Kurt Indermühle . In 1981–83,
12028-411: The train station. However, one of the biggest challenges has been integrating automobile traffic into the Old City. Due to the number of important buildings in the Old City and the central location of the Old City, it was impossible to completely close off this area to vehicles. While some streets have remained pedestrian zones, most major streets carry city buses, trams or personal vehicles. The old city
12152-521: The two Burgundys been united, history would undoubtedly have taken a different course; a Burgundy united under the German Otto-William would have been within the sphere of influence of the Holy Roman Empire and would have affected the balance of power between the French and the Germans. However, it was not to be; although it took him thirteen years of bitter and prolonged battle, Robert eventually secured
12276-430: The two principles were able to mesh together: in the case of Boulogne and Auvergne, for example, John was the second son of Robert of Auvergne, Philip's great-grandfather, and the nearest ancestor to Philip to have surviving lines of descent following Philip's death. John was therefore both the most senior heir to Robert following Philip's death and also the closest to Robert by descent. In the same manner, Margaret of France
12400-530: The war of succession between Robert the Pious and Count Otto-William . The dukes had given away most of their lands to secure the loyalty of their vassals ; consequently, they lacked power in the duchy without the support and obedience of their vassals. In addition, the Abbot of Cluny claimed immunity from secular overlords, while the Bishop of Langres was a duke and peer of France . Robert and his heirs were faced with
12524-505: The wealthy counties of Flanders , Nevers and Rethel under the control of the dukes. By 1405, following the deaths of Philip and Margaret, and the inheritance of the duchy and most of their other possessions by their son John the Fearless , Burgundy stood less as a French fief and more as an independent state. As such, it was a major political player in European politics. The Burgundian State
12648-470: Was Charles II of Navarre . To the jurists of the duchy, these facts presented something of a difficult legal problem, for the two claims stood more or less equally in terms of justification: Charles II, as the great-grandson of Robert II by his elder daughter, had a superior claim to John II in terms of primogeniture; John II, as the grandson of Robert II by his younger daughter, had a superior claim to Charles II in terms of proximity of blood. Were it simply
12772-416: Was a semi-circular street on the north edge of the city, while Herrengasse was on the south side of the city. A wood bridge was built over the Aare which allowed increased trade and limited settlements on the east bank of the river. During the second half of the thirteenth century, the riverside foundation of Nydegg Castle was strengthened and connected to a new west city wall. This wall was added to protect
12896-488: Was absorbed into the French crown. The latter proved to no avail. The Burgundians refused to countenance the terms of the letters patent. The king proved unequal to the task of enforcing his policy, which was far beyond his political capabilities. In the face of a non-violent but firm refusal by the Burgundians to allow the independence of their duchy to be threatened, the king quietly scrapped the letters patent, and instead turned to other means. The king's youngest son, Philip
13020-455: Was added to the tower to allow it to overlook the surrounding houses. After the third expansion, to the Christoffelturm, the Zytglogge was converted into a women's prison. Most commonly it was used to house Pfaddendirnen – "priests' whores", women convicted of sexual relations with clerics. At this time, the Zytglogge also received its first slanted roof. In the Great Fire of 1405, the tower
13144-476: Was an increase of Burgundy's power, but the Burgundian State came to be regarded as an enemy of the French crown. From John's death, the dukes were treated with caution or outright hostility by Charles VII and his successor, Louis XI . The last two dukes to directly rule the duchy, Philip the Good (r. 1419–1467) and Charles the Bold (r. 1467–1477), attempted to secure the independence of their state from
13268-400: Was built in 1884–1892. Then, in 1894–1902 the domed Parlamentsgebäude or Parliament Building was built between the other two buildings. The three parliament buildings represent the majority of the new, federal construction in the Old City. Most of the other buildings that come with a national capital were placed outside the Old City or were incorporated into existing buildings. For centuries
13392-513: Was built to be visible and is topped with several large copper domes. The interior was decorated by 38 artists from every corner of the country. Three major themes tied all the works together. The first theme, national history, is represented by events and persons from Swiss history. This includes the Rütlischwur or the foundation of Switzerland in 1291 and figures such as William Tell , Arnold von Winkelried and Nicholas of Flüe . The second theme
13516-579: Was by custom expected to appoint viscounts to rule as his deputies. As a vital military defender of the West Frankish border, Guerin was sometimes known by the Latin term for "leader" – dux or "duke". By the time of Richard the Justiciar (d. 921), the Duchy of Burgundy was beginning to emerge. Richard was officially recognised by the king as a duke; he also stood as individual count of each county he held (if it
13640-456: Was completely burned out. The structural damage would not be completely repaired until 1983. The prison cells were abandoned and a clock was installed above the gate. This clock, together with a bell cast in 1405, gave the tower the name of Zytglogge. In the late fifteenth century the tower was decorated with four decorative corner towerlets and heraldic symbols. The astronomical clock was extended to its current state in 1527–1530. In addition to
13764-508: Was diverted to power three city-owned watermills built in 1360. In the early twentieth century, a small hydroelectric plant was built in that location. Nearby, the busy Schiffländte (ship landing-place) allowed for the reloading of goods transported by boat up and down the river. The last neighbourhood to be built was the Äussere Neustadt ('Outer New City'), which added a third and final layer to Bern's defences starting in 1343. All of these walls, gates and earthworks were demolished in
13888-409: Was established near the Old City. This settlement was abandoned during the second century AD. From that time until the founding of Bern the area remained sparsely settled. The history of the city of Bern proper begins with its founding by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen in 1191. Local legend has it that the duke vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, which turned out to be
14012-497: Was his great-grandfather, Duke Robert II, the father of Odo IV. Unlike Joan of Châlons and Robert of Auvergne, however, both of whom had left only two lines of descent (allowing the cadet line to inherit without controversy following the termination of the main branch with Philip), Robert II had left three lines of descent: the main line, through Odo IV, which had ended with Philip, and two cadet lines through his daughters, Margaret and Joan. Both women were long dead. Margaret of Burgundy,
14136-569: Was historically subdivided into four Viertel and four Quartiere . The Viertel were the city's official administrative districts . They were instituted for tax and defence purposes in the thirteenth century and ceased to be used in 1798 after the fall of the Ancien Régime in Bern. Of greater practical importance were the Quartiere , the four traditional neighbourhoods in which people of similar social and economic rank congregated. They emerged in
14260-400: Was joined to France by virtue of one man's rights and would never be absorbed into it. Most importantly, it was firmly stated that there had not been, and never would be, an annexation of Burgundy by France, merely juxtaposition – the king was also the duke, but there would be no deeper link than that. Set against these declarations of Burgundian autonomy was the decree of John II that Burgundy
14384-543: Was located about where the Choir of the church now stands, with the church tower resting on the southern corner of the donjon . From 1341 to 1346 a church with a small steeple was built on the ruins of the castle. Then, between 1480 and 1483 a tower was added to the church. The central nave was rebuilt in 1493 to 1504. In 1529, following the Reformation, the Nydegg Church was used as a warehouse for wood and grain. Later, in 1566,
14508-551: Was not held on his behalf by a viscount). As Duke of Burgundy, he was able to wield an increasing amount of power over his territory. The term that came to be applied to the collective body of a duke's territory was ducatus . Included in the Richard's ducatus were the regions of Autunais, Beaunois, Avalois, Lassois, Dijonais, Memontois, Attuyer, Oscheret , Auxois, Duesmois, Auxerrois , Nivernais , Chaunois and Massois. Under Richard, these territories were given law and order, protected from
14632-417: Was not to be, however. Philip became ill with the plague , a disease that all but inevitably promised a swift and agonising death. Fully expecting to die, the young duke made his last will and testament on 11 November 1361; ten days later, he was dead, and with him, his dynasty. Even before Philip's death, France and Burgundy had begun considering the knotty problem of the succession. By the terms of his will,
14756-474: Was one of the largest ducal territories that existed at the time of the emergence of Early Modern Europe . After just over one hundred years of Valois-Burgundy rule, however, the last duke, Charles the Bold , rushed to the Burgundian Wars and was killed in the 1477 Battle of Nancy . The extinction of the dynasty led to the absorption of the duchy itself into the French crown lands by King Louis XI , while
14880-461: Was placed outside of the mosaic. The Untertorbrücke (German: Lower Gate bridge) is the oldest bridge in Bern still in existence. The original bridge, most likely a wooden walkway, was built in 1256 and spanned the Aare at the Nydegg Fortress. The bridge was destroyed in a flood in 1460. Within one year, construction began on a new stone bridge. The small Mariakapelle ( Mary 's Chapel) located in
15004-423: Was reckoned to include not only the original territories of the duchy of Burgundy in what is now eastern France, but also the northern territories that came to the dukes through the marriage of Philip and Margaret. Philip the Bold had been a cautious man in politics. His son, John the Fearless (r. 1404–1419), however, was not, and under him Burgundy and Orléans clashed as the two sides squabbled for power. The result
15128-409: Was repainted by Gotthard Ringgli and Kaspar Haldenstein in 1607–10, who introduced the large clock faces that now dominate the east and west façades of the tower. The corner towerlets were removed again sometime before 1603. In 1770–71, the Zytglogge was renovated by Niklaus Hebler and Ludwig Emanuel Zehnder , who refurbished the structure in order to suit the tastes of the late Baroque , giving
15252-479: Was the closest heir by both primogeniture and proximity to her mother, Joan of Châlons, Countess of Burgundy and Artois, Philip's great-grandmother and, again, the nearest ancestor of Philip to have lines of descent surviving the Duke's death. The situation for the Duchy of Burgundy, however, was not so simple. In terms of inheritance, the nearest ancestor to Philip of Rouvres to have lines of descent surviving Philip's death
15376-479: Was to be inseparably united (much the same as would be followed in the case of Brittany in 1532). Had this come into effect, Burgundy as an independent duchy would have ceased to exist, and John would no longer have been the duke. As a result, a definitive break in the duchy's history would have occurred. John, however, failed to grasp the realities of the political situation within the duchy. He had already been smoothly accepted as duke. On 28 December 1361, he received
#286713