House of Parliament, Bern

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The Bundeshaus or Federal Parliament Building was designed by an architect named Hans Wilhelm Auer and was inaugurated in April 1902. At the time they were proud of the fact that building materials from all over Switzerland -- but nowhere else -- were used for the building.

From 2006 to 2008 the building underwent major renovation works, so it was hidden behind scaffolding for most of that time, but now the scaffolding is gone and the building looks as good as new.

Second photo: The Federal Parliament Building as seen through the trees from the promenade at Kleine Schanze.

Third photo: The Federal Parliament Building with Swiss flags on two of the towers.

Fourth photo: The Federal Parliament Building and the Aare River.

Fifth photo: In the winter of 2012 they were presenting free light-and-sound shows in the evenings, with all sorts of elaborate lighting effects projected onto the Federal Parliament Building. The night we were there the crowd was huge, filling the entire Bundesplatz and part of the Bärenplatz, where we were standing.

The famous central building of parliament build on the Bundesplatz serve as connection between the Bundeshaus West and Bundeshaus Ost (west and east parliament buildings). The author was Hans Wilhelm Auer in 1904. These three buildings together thus form a type of "Federal Palace".

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The house of the Swiss Parliament faces Bundesplatz, a very large square with fountains squirting from the pavement. Beware you may be caught when they turn on.

A majestic building facing the city and open for guided tours on certain days. We tried to enter, but security informed us no entry today.

This Renaissance edifice, the Federal Palace, houses the two chambers of Switzerland’s Parliament. Inaugurated in 1902, the Parliament building has a glass dome that displays the coats of arms of all the twenty-two Swiss cantons. Also very interesting are the stained-glass windows, symbolizing education, public works, defense, and justice. In the ground-floor rotunda a relief represents the legend of the origin of Switzerland as dramatized in Schiller’s saga of “Wilhelm Tell”. Also of interest is the Chamber of the National Council, dominated by a large fresco by Gyron, and the Chamber of the Council of States, adorned with a mural painting by Albert Welti.

This is the Bundeshaus, from where you will have a smashing view over Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (3 mountains in the Bernese Oberland, which you should definitely see from near some time as well!). All the cantons of Switzerland are marked around the building.

1848 Switzerland as a state was founded. The last canton which came to it was Jura in 1978. Switzerland as it is now, is only 25 years old! :)

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Bundeshaus is the Swiss Parliament and while the building itself is not really so very much worth seeing, it was built at an excellent place with a wonderfull view of the alps in the distance and there is also the "Bundesterrasse", something like the front-garden of the parliament high above the river Aare, a great place to relax and enjoy the view of the alps.

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Bundesterrasse is a great place to see the alps in the distance: Eiger Moench and Jungfrau and lots of other snow-covered mountains with a hight of around 4000 meters. There are lots of benches on this terrace and it is also a great place to relax.
Even when you have just 1 hour between connecting trains on Bern Hauptbahnhof it makes sense to walk here and enjoy the alps from the distance !

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The Parliament building is probably the most impressive construction in Bern.

But the building itself is magnified by the beautiful square (inaugurated in 2004) in front of it.

Both during the day and the night it's very pleasant to spend some time admiring the square and the parliament house.

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The Bundeshaus has been built on the edge of the steep Aare valley. On the valley side a wide terrace has been added. This is one of Bern's favourite spots to sit on a bench, enjoy the view and relax. The view goes across the river gorge to the southern suburbs. On clear days the mountains of Berner Oberland with Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau are visible on the horizon.
A metal board explains the view, the buildings, hills and mountains in sight.

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The impressive neo-renaissance Bundeshaus hosts the Swiss government (Federal Council / Bundesrat) and the two chambers of the parliament (National Council / Nationalrat and Council of States / Ständerat). Construction works began in 1852 and took 50 years to complete. The halls and corridors have been decorated by more than three dozen different artists. Frescoes and stained glass windows depict scenes from Swiss history, landscapes and national symbols.

Sessions of the parliament take place during a few weeks per year. The Swiss deputies are all "amateurs" who have a normal job or business at home and come to Bern for the four annual session periods. Outside these sessions the Bundeshaus can be visited with guided tours. You will, unlike most other parliament buildings, be taken right into the parliament halls and sit in the deputies' seats during the tour. Check the website for tour times.
There are security checks at the entrance. Photography is not permitted and no cameras may be taken in, they must be left in lockers next to the cash desk.

The Bundeshaus is a impressive building, erected on a promontory over River Aare, which houses the Swiss Parliament and Helvetic Confederation Government. It was designed by W.H.Auer and was finished by 1902. Behind the building there is a promenade, the Bundesterrasse, with beautiful views. You can visit the Bundeshaus inside, but remember to take your passport with you, because it is required to enter the building. The photo is taken from Bundesplatz.

El Bundeshaus es un edificio impresionante erigido sobre un promontorio que asoma al río Aare, que alberga el Parlamento suizo y el Gobierno de la Confederacion Helvetica. Fue disenhado por W.H.Auer y terminado en 1902. Tras el edificio hay un paseo, la Bundesterrasse, con hermosas vistas. Puedes visitar el interior del Bundeshaus, pero recuerda llevarte el pasaporte, porque lo piden para acceder al edificio. La foto esta tomada desde la Bundesplatz