Zytglogge: Your Guide to Bern’s Clock Tower

Quick Facts About Zytglogge Clock Tower, Bern

• Location: Kramgasse 1, Bern Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Built: Around 1218–1220, as the western gate of Bern's fortifications
• Astronomical clock added: 1530
• Height: Roughly 54.5 metres
• Opening hours (exterior/show): Visible anytime; free to view from the street
• Guided tour hours: Daily at 2:30 PM (April–October); on request November–March
• Tickets: Around CHF 15 for the guided interior tour (discounted with a Swiss Travel Pass)
• How to Reach: 5–10 minute walk from Bern Hauptbahnhof (main station)

The Zytglogge Show: What Happens Every Hour?

• A golden rooster crows first, kicking off the sequence
• A jester figure rings his bells
• A procession of bears circles slowly, a nod to Bern's civic symbol
• Chronos, the Roman god of time, turns his hourglass
• At the top of the hour, the figure "Hans von Thann" strikes the bell

Bern Zytglogge Tour: Going Inside the Clock Tower

• The clockwork mechanism behind both the standard dial and the astronomical clock
• The gears that physically move the bears, jester, and rooster during the show
• A climb of roughly 130 steps up through thick medieval stone walls and timber beams
• A viewing platform at the top with rooftop views over Bern's Old Town, and the Bernese Alps on a clear day

• Tours run for about an hour, in small groups (capped around 19–20 people)
• Available daily at 2:30 PM from April to October; by request the rest of the year
• Conducted in English, German, French, and Italian depending on demand
• Private group tours can also be arranged separately

How Much Do Zytglogge Tickets Cost?

• Standard guided tour: Roughly CHF 15 per adult
• With a Swiss Travel Pass or Bern discount card: Often around half price
• Private tours: Available on request, priced separately for small groups
• Booking: Advance booking is strongly recommended; tours are limited to a small group size and regularly sell out in peak season

What Are The Zytglogge Opening Hours?

• Exterior and hourly show: Visible year-round, no fixed hours; it's a public street-facing landmark
• Interior guided tour: Daily at 2:30 PM, April to October
• Off-season (November–March): Interior tours run on request only, so check availability in advance

Best Time to Visit Zytglogge, Bern

• April–October: Daily fixed tour schedule, and the busiest stretch for Europe tourism Overall, so expect a livelier Old Town alongside it
• November–March: Quieter, but interior tours need advance booking
• Early morning/late afternoon: Best for photos without crowds
• Midday: Busiest for the show, but also the most atmospheric time to watch it

How to Reach Zytglogge?

• From Bern Hauptbahnhof (main station): A 5–10 minute walk, or a 3-minute tram/bus ride (lines such as 9 or 12) if you'd rather not walk

• By tram or bus: Multiple city routes stop within a couple of minutes' walk of the tower, look for the "Zytglogge" stop

• On foot from the Old Town: Zytglogge sits on Kramgasse, Bern's main historic street, so it's easy to reach on foot from almost anywhere inside the UNESCO-listed core

• By car: Not recommended, the surrounding Old Town streets are largely pedestrianised, and parking is limited near the tower itself

What’s Around The Zytglogge Astronomical Clock?

• Current zodiac sign
• Moon phase
• Date and day of the week
• Sunrise and sunset times

A Brief History of Zytglogge

• ~1218–1220: Built as the western gate of Bern's city fortifications
• 1405: Gutted by fire, briefly used as a women's prison during rebuilding
• 1467–1530: Rebuilt and converted into the city's official clock tower
• 1530: Astronomical clock added, designed by Kaspar Brunner
• 16th–19th century: Every clock in Bern was set against Zytglogge's time
• Early 1900s: Albert Einstein, working nearby at the Patent Office, is said to have discussed the relativity of time with his wife Mileva partly inspired by watching this clock

Expert Tips for Visiting Zytglogge For First-Time Travelers