What is this place

The Bern Minster is Bern’s principal church on Münsterplatz, dominating the Old City skyline. Construction began in 1421; the spire was completed in 1893 and rises 100.6 m, the tallest church tower in Switzerland.

Key features

  • 100.6 m spire – the city’s landmark, finished in 1893 after centuries of building.
  • Two viewing galleries at 46 m and 64 m; climb 254 / 344 steps via a spiral stair.
  • West portal of the Last Judgment by Erhard Küng (1460–1480) – a major Late Gothic ensemble; large statues are replicas, originals in the Bern Historical Museum.
  • Choir stained glass 1441–1460 – among Switzerland’s most important cycles.
  • The bell peal is billed as the country’s heaviest civic chime; the bells can be seen en route up the tower.

What to see

  • The sculpted Last Judgment portal with the wise and foolish virgins.
  • Tower climb to the 46 m and 64 m galleries – rooftops, the Aare loop and, on clear days, the Alps.
  • The Münsterplattform terrace behind the choir overlooking the river.

History

Work started in 1421 on the site of an earlier parish church, with Matthäus Ensinger as first master builder. In the late 15th century Erhard Küng carved the portal, and the lower tower stages rose.

After the 1528 Reformation much interior imagery was removed, but the portal survived; in the 1570s the nave vaults and fittings were completed. Attempts to finish the tower stalled in the 16th century; the definitive spire was added only in 1893, giving the Minster its present profile.

Practical information

Location: Münsterplatz 1, 3000 Bern – by the Münsterplattform on the Old City’s southern edge.

Getting there: 8–10 minutes on foot from Bern HB; trams 6/7/8/9 to Zytglogge or 12 to Bärenplatz, then a short walk.

Access: Church free. Tower via stairs only; tickets sold at the info desk, large backpacks left there.

Visiting hours: For 13 Oct 2025–6 Apr 2026 – church: Mon–Fri 12:00–16:00, Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 11:30–16:00; tower: Mon–Fri 12:00–15:30, Sat 10:00–16:30, Sun 11:30–15:30. Summer hours are typically longer.

Visit duration: 45–90 minutes; up to 2 hours with both galleries.

Best time: Clear mornings or golden hour for long-range views; the Münsterplattform works well in poor weather.

Notes: Tower fee: adults CHF 6, children 7–16 CHF 3; last ascent follows the day’s schedule (check signs at the counter).