SWITZERLAND
and even organise a meeting with a member
of their choice.
While the Federal Palace of Switzerland
is an important piece of architecture to the
Swiss, the Cathedral of Bern (Das Berner
Münster) and Bern Clock Tower (Zytglogge)
hold much more significance to the local
Bernese. The Cathedral of Bern is
Switzerland’s largest ecclesiastical building
done in a Late Gothic style. Over the main
portal is the depiction of the Christian belief
of the Last Judgement where the righteous
are separated from the wicked. This
diorama watches over parishioners who
walk in through the front door – a reminder
of the fate that befalls mankind in time to
come.
As for the Clock Tower, visitors can view
the ornate astronomical clock with its
parade of bears and dancing jester on the
outside or take a secret tour into the clock’s
tower to see the intricate mechanics of the
clock. Pendulums swing, and gears and
cogs click second by second mechanically
in the top room of the tower. This
impressive mechanism is said to have been
in motion since it was built some 800 years
ago – a precedent to the now famous and
reliable Swiss movement perhaps.
It is said that theoretical-physicist AlbertEinstein was inspired by the Clock Tower in
May 1905. The brilliant scientist had
imagined a streetcar moving away from the
tower at the speed of light and it was then
that he had his breakthrough moment that
helped outline his paper on the ‘special
theory of relativity’ in six weeks. His
scientific discoveries are what help modern
day scientists understand our world today.
For the casual couch scientist, head to the
Bern Historical Museum, which has an
extensive exhibition devoted to Einstein’s
personal life and his theory of general
relativity broken down into simplified video
explanations.Crowds gather to watch
the astronomical clock’s
hourly show. Right The
jester chimes the bell while
Chronos announces the
hour of the dayIt is said that the faces of the
condemned and the righteous bear
similar features as a way to tell
worshippers that money cannot buy
your way into heaven