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Bern & the Bärengraben / bear-pit, that is history !
They live in a large park now: the Bärenpark ! Such a tourist-attraction is not really "my cup of tea" but in Bern the Bärengraben has a tradition of more than 550 years. All of my photos here are of the old Bärengraben, BUT since 2009 they are living in a park that is more than 6000 square meters, just click on the link below to read more about it !
Updated Dec 20, 2010
Website: http://www.baerenpark-bern.ch/index.php?id=info&L=1
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At last...
Our Bears have got a new home. Instead of the depressing Bärengraben (bear pit) they now have got a nice bear-friendly place to live: the "Bärenpark" (bear park). It cost us taxpayers a fortune, but i think it was worth the money.
Instead of the hole where they lived before the bears now can move about and even have a swim in Aare water. The new Bärenpark is just next to where the old Bärengraben was. Of course there is no guarantee you will see the bears as they have got places to hide.
In one of the old bear pits there is an exhebition about berne and its bears.
Written Nov 9, 2009
Website: http://www.baerenpark-bern.ch
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UPDATE FROM 30/4/2009 - Pedro, the last Bern Bear Pit resident was euthanized at age 28 suffering from incurable arthritis. The new Bear Pit being built next to the old one is scheduled to open later this year.
From the train station we took a nice leisurely walk to the other edge of town and just across the river are the famous Bear Pits. Actually, being from Chicago and having 2 classic zoos in our area we were a little underwhelmed by the Bear Pits. But as this town has close ties to the Bear and in Chicago our Bears football team is much beloved we had to see this attraction.
Updated Jul 9, 2009
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Bears have been kept in Bern since the late middle ages. Their home is at Nydeggbrücke on the outer side of the valley.
The old bear pit is a rather sorry matter: a big round hole in the ground, surrounded by high walls, where the bears sat and begged for food. It was built in 1857 according to 19th century standards. However, those times are over.
The bear pit is currently empty (spring 2009). The last surviving bear, arthritic old Pedro, died a few weeks ago. He was in constant pain and medication would not help any more, so he had to be put down on April 30 - my photo of him was taken 3 weeks before his death.
A new and more appropriate enclosure on the Aare bank is being built. New bears will not arrive before the construction works are finished. Future bears will inhabit a much roomier home with access to the water, a bit of the river will be fenced off for the bears to swim. This is what it is going to look like.
Updated May 22, 2009
Address: Nydeggbrücke / Grosser Muristalden
Website: http://www.baerenpark-bern.ch
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AN INTERESTING SIGHT AND A PLACE TO TAKE PHOTOS IS AT THE BEAR PIT...IT CAN BE A LITTLE SAD WHEN THE BEARS DON'T SEEM TO BE TOO HAPPY ABOUT BEING THERE..AND IT CAN BE NICE WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE AN EXCITEMENT FOR THEM TO RECEIVE SOMETHING FROM THE MANY THAT SURROUND TO LOOK AT THE.. Bears have enjoyed--or suffered--a long and rather one-sided relationship with Switzerland's capital of Bern. According to one legend, Berthold V of Zähringen named the Bern after the first animal killed during a hunt when the city was founded in 1191. (If the story is true, the Duke must have decided to honor the victim's entire species, since "Bären" is the German plural form of "bear.") THERE ARE SOME GREAT TIMES JUST WATCHING THESE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS WANDERING AROUND WITHIN A PIT ..THAT MAYBE THEY DON;T WANT TO BE IN?????
Updated Oct 24, 2008
Visit the Bärengraben or Bear Pit. There are two bears and there has been bears in the enclosure since the mid 1800's. The day we saw them, they were playing with a large ball and were eating the apples that other spectators were dropping into the pit. There is a vendor nearby that will sell food to feed the bears.
Written Feb 1, 2008
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This is nothing fancy here, basically a big hole in the ground with a couple of bears. Still, it is cool seeing these big and not very friendly-looking animals up close. If you're in town for a day, this is one of the things I would see, especially if you have kids.
Written Dec 20, 2007
Address: Barengraben
Phone: 031 328 12 12
Website: http://www.museen-bern.ch/50.html?&L=2
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Bears, Bern's mascot, have been kept in the Barengraben (bear pits) since 1480. Some people seem to think this is cruel but it doesn't really differ much from a zoo except that people occasionally throw them food, when we were there it was apples and raisins, and the bears caught even those tiny raisins with ease. The two bears seemed to be pretty content, they were rollling on their backs and hamming it up for the crowds, I was expecting a lot worse based on the reviews that I saw.
Legend has it that the city was named Bern because the duke of Zahringen, back in 1191, sent his hunters out into the surrounding woods and he said he would name the city after the 1st animal that was killed, an unlucky bear was the receipient of the naming rights.
Updated Sep 17, 2007
The name of Berne origin from "bear", so that's probably why they keep some of them for the tourists. However, I feel pity for the bears, having to be stuck down in a whole and get fed by the tourists. But I think they are planning on building a new place for the bears closer to the river...
Updated Mar 29, 2006
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According to an old legend, a bear was the first animal killed by the city founder, and this fact is said to be the reason for the name of the city, Bern. Across the Nydegg bridge (Nydeggbrucke) you can see a pit that serves as a dwelling for five pirenaic bears which amuse the visitor, especially the children, of course. It is an spectacle to see how they catch the morsels of food they are given, although I prefer not to feed them myself, because, like many captive animals, they are probably overfed.
Segun una antigual leyenda, un oso fue el primer animal al que mato el fundador de la ciudad y se dice que esta es la razon para el nombre de la ciudad, Berna. Cruzando el puente Nydeggbrucke), puedes ver un foso que sirve de morada a cinco osos pirenaicos que entretienen al visitante, especialmente a los ninhos, claro. Es un espectaculo ver como pillan al vuelo los trozos de comida que les dan, aunque yo prefiero no alimentarles, porque, como muchos animales en cautividad, con toda probabilidad reciben demasiada comida.
Written Mar 3, 2006
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Bear pit tips and photos posted by real travelers and Bern locals.
Write a ReviewAccording to an old legend, a bear was the first animal killed by the city founder, and this fact is said to be the reason for the name of the city, Bern....
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