Bear Pits of Bern (Barengraben)
by John Blanchette
The European brown bear is the beloved symbol of Bern. You find it on everything from the city flag to clock tower faces, tourist collectibles of all types from plates to scarves, they’re image is even found shaped into chocolates and gingerbread.
The word Bern comes form the German name for bear and is featured on the oldest city seal, dating to 1224. Legend has it that when the town was formed by Berthold V, Duke of Zahringen, in the horseshoe bend of the Aare river in 1191, the first animal killed on a hunting trip in the outskirts of town was a bear, and so the name. Bears have been kept in the Barengraben (Bear Pits) at the expense of the city since 1513. They are located below the beautiful city rose gardens, at the middle of the bend in the river. The rose gardens lie on top of a steep hill and afford one of the most beautiful views of the entire city.
