| Best Bern Travel Deals | Sponsored Links |
Hotels at Expedia
Save up to 50% on Hotels at Expedia And Now Earn ThankYou Points Too! Swiss Travel
Swiss Rail Passes Give Unlimited Rail Travel. Book Online And Save. Berne, Switzerland Hotels
Low Rates on Berne Accommodation Find, View & Book Instantly!
| Bear pit tips and photos posted by real travelers and Bern locals. • 54 Photos
• 31 Reviews
See all Bern Things To Do |
 | Bern Bear pit Reviews | 1 - 10 of 31 |  |
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.
|
 | |  |
Visiting Bern?
Read reviews about Bern Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
As I mentioned on the opening page there is an actual bear pit in Bern. This pit is in the city just across the Nydeggbrucke Bridge over the Aare River. The pit is open daily from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. The bears have been living here in the pits in Bern since the 16th century. Recently animal activists have made complaints about the living conditions but the bears remain.
This bear really looks angry and if you enlarge the picture it looks like he is growling and is ready to attack someone. However if you look at the top of the pit just over the bears head you will see a tourist pouring Coca Cola out of a bottle above the bear. The bear was catching the drink in his mouth and seemed to be enjoying it. Leave a Comment Address: Nydegggasse over the Nydeggbrucke Bridge
|
Today they will only allow five bears to live in the pits at one time. I was told this was for the bears comfort and safety. There were several large bears and some smaller baby bears when I visited. And I counted and yes there were only five bears that I could find. Leave a Comment
|
The Bears Pit (Barengraben) is located just entering the city and crossing Nydeggbrucke Bridge over Aare river.The bears have been Bern's heraldic animal for seven centuries,and they still being the symbol of the city and of the whole canton aswell.
From here we started our nice and long walked tour in the old town.
I noticed that people were feeding the bears,with some small chocolates and fruits, I didn't see any sign to say that it was forbidden to feed them, so I'm not sure but you can give something to eat to the bears on the pit.It is open to public from 8 a.m to 6 p.m..
They looks very nice and funny and this place is always full of tourists!!. Leave a Comment
|
visit the bear pit. We walked the length of the old town, crossing the Nydeggbruecke (bridge), and there to the right were the bear pits. So we went and looked. Wasn't as bad as I imagined. There were ponds and greenery but still...
There is a huge information center with public toilets right next to the pits, so that was good. Leave a Comment Directions: cross over the Nydegg bridge and there it is
|
Visiting Bern?
Read reviews about Bern Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
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. Leave a Comment Directions: on the opposite side of the Nydegg bridge from the old town, in front of the tourist office
|
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. However, they were constructing some new habitats for the bears when we were there in October, 2008 so by the time you read this they may be completed and offer a more rewarding experience.
|
For some reason, they keep a few bears in a pit in Bern. Maybe, it's because Berne was named after the wild bears they used to hunt in the area. Bern has kept bear pits since the late 15th century. Anyhow, they're just there...being bears...looking kind of bored. Leave a Comment Directions: Just east of the old town - near Nydegg Bridge
|
There are live bears there - just like in the Middle Ages when they gave name to the city of Bern. You can even feed them! Leave a Comment
|
The Barengraben, or Bear pits. These 'pits' are located on the opposite side of the Aare river from the city. Just cross the bridge and they are directly to your right. There's about 5 bears out at each time, and they just roam around these pits out in sun, rain, snow, etc. Leave a Comment
|
|
- Kreuz Swiss Q Hotel
Zeughausgasse 41, Bern - Best Western Hotel Grauholz
Autobahn A1, Bern - Ibis Bern Expo
Am Guisanplatz 4, Bern - Best Western Hotel Bristol
Schauplatzgasse 10, Bern - Bern Swiss Quality Hotel
Av Costera Miguel Aleman No 123, Bern - Belle Epoque Boutique Hotel
Gerechtigkeitsgasse 18, Bern - Bern
Zeughausgasse 9, Bern - Hotel Continental
Zeughausgasse 27, Bern - Astoria
Zieglerstrasse 66, Bern - Hotel Stadthaus
Kirchbuhl 2, Bern - Novotel Bern Expo
Am Guisanplatz 2, Bern - Hotel Bellevue Palace
Kochergasse 3 - 5, Bern - Savoy Hotel
Neuengasse 26, Bern - Business Hotel Waldhorn Bern (Waldhoeheweg 2.)
Waldhoeheweg 2, Bern - City Am Bahnhof (Bahnhofplatz 7.)
Bahnhofplatz 7, Bern
|
on March 4, 2006
on October 15, 2003
on February 25, 2005
on November 15, 2004
on September 18, 2007
on April 10, 2009
on March 4, 2003
on August 26, 2002
on August 25, 2002
