Timeline of Bern

The following is a timeline of the history of the municipality of Bern, Switzerland.

Prior to 19th century

 * 2nd-3rd century CE - Roman settlement abandoned.
 * 1191 - Bern set up as military outpost by Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen.
 * 1218 - Bern becomes a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire.
 * 1219 - Zytglogge (tower) built.
 * 1223 - Theto von Ravensburg becomes.
 * 1256 - Käfigturm (tower) built.
 * 1259 - First mention of Jews in Bern.
 * 1268 - Nydegg Castle demolished (approximate date).
 * 1270 - Felsenburg (castle) built (approximate date).
 * 1285 - (church) built.
 * 1289 - April: Battle of Schosshalde takes place; Bern successfully resisted Rudolph of Hapsburg.
 * 1298
 * Bern allies with Biel, Murten, and Solothurn.
 * Bern expands to include Bolligen, Muri, Stettlen, and Vechigen.
 * 1331-1333 - Gümmenenkrieg (Fribourg-Bern war).
 * 1339 - Battle of Laupen.
 * 1345 - (tower) built.
 * 1346
 * Black Death plague.
 * Äussere Neustadt area developed.
 * Christoffelturm (tower) and Nydeggkirche (church) built.
 * 1348-49 - Pogroms and persecution of the Jews in Bern following the Black Death.
 * 1353 - Canton of Bern joins the Swiss Confederacy.
 * 1380 - Public clock installed (approximate date).
 * 1383-1384 - Burgdorferkrieg (Kyberg-Bern war) takes place in the County of Burgundy.
 * 1406 - Construction begins of current Town hall of Bern.
 * 1417 - Bern Town Hall (town hall) built.
 * 1421 - Bern Munster construction begins.
 * 1430 - Konrad Justinger writes Chronik der Stadt Bern, a history of the city.
 * 1470 - Tschachtlanchronik (Bern history) compiled.
 * 1489 - Untertorbrücke (bridge) built.
 * 1494 - (church) rebuilt.
 * 1513 - Town begins to keep bears in the Bärenplatz.
 * 1525 - Printing press in operation.
 * 1528 -.
 * 1530 - Astronomical clock installed in the Zytglogge.
 * 1532 - adopted.
 * 1543 - Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen (Bern) (fountain) erected on Gerechtigkeitsgasse.
 * 1544 - Simsonbrunnen (fountain) erected.
 * 1546 - Fountains Anna-Seiler-Brunnen (on Marktgasse) and Pfeiferbrunnen (on Spitalgasse) erected.
 * 1573 - Munster construction ends.
 * 1615 - (prison) in operation.
 * 1689 - newspaper Gazette de Berne starts to be printed.
 * 1700 - Population: 14,219.
 * 1718 - (granary) built.
 * 1720 - Bern banking crisis of 1720
 * 1729 - Church of the Holy Ghost, Bern rebuilt.
 * 1752 - Erlacherhof (mansion) built.
 * 1759 - (scientific society) founded.
 * 1798 - 5 March: Battle of Grauholz takes place in canton; French in power.
 * 1799 - Stämpfli (publisher) in business.

19th century

 * 1803 - City library active.
 * 1815 - Bernischen Musikgesellschaft (music society) founded.
 * 1817 - (government building) rebuilt.
 * 1818 - Population: 18,997.
 * 1830 - Eidgenössisches Schützenfest held in Bern.
 * 1832
 * Karl Zeerleder becomes mayor.
 * Canton becomes administratively independent of city.
 * 1834 - University of Bern established.
 * 1837 - Population: 24,362.
 * 1844 - Nydeggbrücke (bridge) built.
 * 1846
 * Jews granted freedom of establishment in the canton.
 * founded.
 * 1848 - Bern becomes capital of Switzerland.
 * 1850
 * Der Bund newspaper begins publication.
 * Population: 29,670 in city; 407,765 in canton.
 * 1851 - (bridge) built.
 * 1857 - Federal Palace of Switzerland and Bärengraben (bear pit) built.
 * 1858
 * Bern railway station opens.
 * founded.
 * 1863 - Bernischen Juristenverein (lawyers' association) founded.
 * 1864 - Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul, Bern built.
 * 1868 - in business.
 * 1874
 * International (postal union meeting) held in Bern; "Treaty concerning the formation of a General Postal Union" signed.
 * Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland headquartered in Bern.
 * 1877 - Bern Symphony Orchestra established.
 * 1879 - Conche machine invented by chocolate maker Rodolphe Lindt.
 * 1880
 * oppidum ruins discovered near city.
 * Population: 44,087 in city; 471,991 in canton.
 * 1886 - International "Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works" signed in city.
 * 1888 - founded.
 * 1891
 * August: 700th anniversary of city founding.
 * founded.
 * 1893
 * June: Labour unrest.
 * (church) built.
 * Frauenkomitee Bern founded.
 * 1894 - Bern Historical Museum built.
 * 1900
 * (public transit operator) and established.
 * Population: 64,227.

20th century

 * 1902 - Federal Palace of Switzerland building expanded.
 * 1903 - Albert Einstein moves into Einsteinhaus on Kramgasse.
 * 1905
 * St. Paul's Church, Bern built.
 * Akademischer Alpenclub Bern (hiking club) formed.
 * 1906
 * "International Convention respecting the Prohibition of the Use of White (Yellow) Phosphorus in the Manufacture of Matches" signed in Bern.
 * Anglican St Ursula's Church, Berne built.
 * 1910
 * Eidgenössisches Schützenfest and Swiss Aviation Exhibition held.
 * Population: 90,937 in city; 578,381 in canton.
 * 1914 - (national exposition) held in Bern.
 * 1915 - March: International socialist anti-war women's conference held in Bern.
 * 1918
 * park now belongs to city.
 * (publisher) in business.
 * 1919
 * Bümpliz becomes part of city.
 * February: Second International conference held in Bern.
 * 1920 - (church) built.
 * 1928 - Schweizeische Ausstellung für Frauenarbeit (women's rights event) held in Bern.
 * 1929
 * Bern Aerodrome begins operating.
 * airline headquartered in Bern.
 * 1930 - Population: 111,783 in city; 623,665 in canton.
 * 1933 - Bern Trial begins.
 * 1936 - National Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents headquartered in Bern.
 * 1939
 * Tierpark Dählhölzli (zoo) opens.
 * Berner Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Heimatkunde (history journal) in publication.
 * 1940 - Trolleybus begins operating.
 * 1941- 1943 – The Bern group (Lados group) operates secretly to rescue Jews from the Holocaust.
 * 1947 - Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Bern (public transit operator) established.
 * 1949
 * founded.
 * (bridge) and (church) built.
 * 1950 - Population: 146,499 in city; 731,550 in canton.
 * 1951 - Burgerbibliothek of Berne (public library) foundation established.
 * 1955 - February: The Romanian embassy is seized.
 * 1963 - Camerata Bern founded.
 * 1969 - Szeemann's art exhibit "provokes a national scandal."
 * 1970 - Population: 162,405 in city; 901,706 in canton.
 * 1977
 * Gurtenfestival of music begins.
 * Albert Einstein Society founded.
 * 1979
 * French-speaking Canton of Jura secedes from mostly German-speaking Canton of Bern.
 * Berner Zeitung (newspaper) begins publication.
 * 1982 - 6 September: Polish embassy occupied.
 * 1983 - Old City of Bern designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 * 1984 - Regional Transport Bern-Solothurn established.
 * 1990 - March: Demonstration against federal government keeping secret files on citizens.
 * 1993 - Klaus Baumgartner becomes mayor.
 * 1995
 * Jewish religious community of Bern recognised under public law.
 * Bern S-Bahn railway in operation.
 * 2000 - Population: 128,634 in city; 957,197 in canton.

21st century

 * 2002 - House of Religions founded.
 * 2004 - begins.
 * 2005
 * Paul Klee Centre built.
 * Alexander Tschäppät becomes mayor.
 * 2007
 * 4 August: bombing.
 * October: Political unrest.
 * 2008 - June: UEFA Euro 2008 Group C football contest takes place in Bern.
 * 2009 - Bärengraben opens.
 * 2013 - Population: 137,980.