Friday 9.21.07 – Train to Bern and Paul Klee Museum
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Bern is the nation’s capital and home of the Swiss Parliament.
In 1405 Bern suffered a heavy loss when most of the city was burnt to the ground. Reconstruction in sandstone began immediately, and by the 16th and 17th centuries most houses had already been rebuilt in the new material. This is why the original medieval cityscape has remained largely intact up to the present day.
The sandstone arcaded buildings straddling the pavement, have changed barely at all in over five hundred years but for the adornment of modern shop signs. The famous arcades, lining both sides of every street in the Old Town, as being “the longest covered shopping promenade in the world”.
Unfortunately for us, because Austria and Switzerland are the proud hosts of UEFA's 2008 European Cup, the world's third-largest sporting event, the main street of Bern with all of it's famous fountains was completely torn up. The construction left the entire downtown area a mess. So most of our photos are of the other streets.
Above, a more modern fountain at the central city square.
Above - around the old town - and under the famous clock tower
Below left, the Chapter House - Below right, the Bern Cathedral
The steeple is over three hundred feet high and tapers from a solid square shape into an elegant octagon with an open spire.
Bern Minster stands out among the Swiss churches from the late Middle Ages with its monumental sculpture (notably the Doomsday Tympanon over the Main Gate).
Christ of the Last Judgement is centrally placed and flanked by the intercessors, Mary and John the Baptist, and the Twelve Apostles. In the middle channel of the archivolt are the prophets, and in the inner one five angels together with the instruments of Christ's Passion. In the tympanum is the Last Judgement. To the right (from Christ's viewpoint) the chosen and blessed are on their way to the Gates of Paradise, and to the left the damned face the Jaws of Hell and eternal torment. Standing before the Last Judgement is the archangel Michael with sword and scales.
Above left and middle, Doomsday Tympanon - Above right, the organ
Below - We visited the Paul Klee Museum, built by the Italian architect Renzo Piano.
Zentrum Paul Klee opened in June 2005 and houses a collection of about 4000 works by Paul Klee
Today, a painting by Paul Klee can sell for as much as $7.5 million.
