# Bern

> Federal City · EST. 1191 · UNESCO 1983

The old town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1983. The city was founded in 1191 and holds the title of federal city, which is not the same as capital. The Bureau observes the distinction. The town was laid out on a peninsula enclosed by the Aare, which decided its shape before any planner did. Seven hundred and ninety-two years separate the founding from the listing. The Bureau finds the interval unremarkable and has entered both dates without comment.

## Sourced figures

- **founded**: 1191, founded by Berthold V of Zaehringen — source: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne (consulted 13/08/2026)
- **unesco**: 1983, old town inscribed on the World Heritage list — source: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vieille_ville_de_Berne (consulted 18/08/2026)

## Reference image

- print: Hasler AG Zytglogge Gesamtansicht
- held by: Wikimedia Commons
- licence: Public domain
- file: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hasler_AG_Zytglogge_Gesamtansicht.jpg

## Where to buy

Printed on demand and sold by Spreadshirt. Full page: https://gazetteerbureau.com/designs/bern

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The Gazetteer Bureau is a merchandise brand in the form of a fictional tourism office; the publisher and seller of record is CGDEV. Method and reference index: https://gazetteerbureau.com/sources