Bern

The capital of Switzerland, Bern, overlooking the Bernese Alps to the south, was founded at the end of the 12th century by Duke Berthold V of Zähringen on a small hill surrounded on three sides by the winding River Aare. The city's stone cathedral, clock tower, arcades, and numerous fountains decorated with ornate sculptures are all part of the medieval atmosphere of this World Heritage-listed city, which can be viewed from nearby Rose Garden.