# 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 Schultheiss von Bern [de].
* 1256 - Käfigturm (tower) built.
* 1259 - First mention of Jews in Bern.
* 1268 - Nydegg Castle demolished (approximate date).
* 1270 - Felsenburg (castle) built (approximate date).
* 1285 - Predigerkirche (Bern) [de] (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 - Golatenmatttor [de] (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 - Antoniterkirche (Bern) [de] (church) rebuilt.
* 1513 - Town begins to keep bears in the Bärenplatz.
* 1525 - Printing press in operation.
* 1528 - Bern Disputation.
* 1530 - Astronomical clock installed in the Zytglogge.
* 1532 - Bernese Synod [de] 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 - Schallenhaus [de] (prison) in operation.
* 1689 - newspaper Gazette de Berne starts to be printed.
* 1700 - Population: 14,219.
* 1718 - Kornhaus (Bern) [de] (granary) built.
* 1720 - Bern banking crisis of 1720
* 1729 - Church of the Holy Ghost, Bern rebuilt.
* 1752 - Erlacherhof (mansion) built.
* 1759 - Ökonomische Gesellschaft [de] (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 - Rathaus zum Äusseren Stand [de] (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.
** Historical Society of the Canton of Bern [de] founded.
* 1848 - Bern becomes capital of Switzerland.
* 1850
** Der Bund newspaper begins publication.
** Population: 29,670 in city; 407,765 in canton.
* 1851 - Tiefenaubrücke [de] (bridge) built.
* 1857 - Federal Palace of Switzerland and Bärengraben (bear pit) built.
* 1858
** Bern railway station opens.
** Musikschule Konservatorium Bern [de] founded.
* 1863 - Bernischen Juristenverein (lawyers' association) founded.
* 1864 - Catholic Church of St. Peter and Paul, Bern built.
* 1868 - Chocolat Tobler [de] in business.
* 1874
** International Weltpostkongress 1874 [de] (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
** Engehalbinsel [de] 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 - Berner Tramway-Gesellschaft [de] founded.
* 1891
** August: 700th anniversary of city founding.
** State Archive of Bern [de] founded.
* 1893
** June: Labour unrest.
** Johanneskirche (Bern) [de] (church) built.
** Frauenkomitee Bern founded.
* 1894 - Bern Historical Museum built.
* 1900
** Städtische Strassenbahn Bern [de] (public transit operator) and Gutenberg Museum (Bern) [de] 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 - Schweizerische Landesausstellung 1914 [de] (national exposition) held in Bern.
* 1915 - March: International socialist anti-war women's conference held in Bern.
* 1918
** Elfenau [de] park now belongs to city.
** Haupt Verlag [de] (publisher) in business.
* 1919
** Bümpliz becomes part of city.
** February: Second International conference held in Bern.
* 1920 - Friedenskirche (Bern) [de] (church) built.
* 1928 - Schweizeische Ausstellung für Frauenarbeit (women's rights event) held in Bern.
* 1929
** Bern Aerodrome begins operating.
** Alpar AG [de] 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
** Zytglogge Theater [de] founded.
** Felsenaubrücke [de] (bridge) and Petruskirche (Bern) [de] (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 - Buskers Bern Street Music Festival [de] begins.
* 2005
** Paul Klee Centre built.
** Alexander Tschäppät becomes mayor.
* 2007
** 4 August: Kulturzentrum Reithalle [de] bombing.
** October: Political unrest.
* 2008 - June: UEFA Euro 2008 Group C football contest takes place in Bern.
* 2009 - Bärengraben opens.
* 2013 - Population: 137,980.