Description of the attraction
Protestant Munster, as the inhabitants of Bern call the Cathedral, is the largest temple not only in the city, but in the whole of Switzerland. The building in the late Gothic style began to be built in 1421 on the site of a small chapel that belonged to the Teutonic knights. The city of Bern and the Teutonic Order took over the payment for the building materials and the work of the craftsmen. Later, significant sums of money for the construction of the Berne cathedral were allocated by wealthy townspeople and the craftsmen themselves who worked on the construction site. The temple, like the chapel on the site of which it was built, was consecrated in honor of Saint Vincent of Zaragoza, a martyr of the 4th century.
The construction of the Cathedral continued until the 19th century, when the top of the tower was completed. The bell tower is 100.5 meters high, making it the tallest church tower in Switzerland. The tower has 9 bells, the heaviest of which weighs more than 10 tons. Since the 15th century, a watchman has constantly lived in the bell tower, whose task was to make behind the houses spread out below and to warn about fires in a timely manner.
After the Reformation, the Munster Church became Protestant. It remains so today.
When visiting the cathedral, it is worth paying attention to the portal, which is decorated with a bas-relief made of sandstone. Before us is the scene of the Last Judgment, in which 234 characters are involved. The interior has preserved late Gothic stained-glass windows with a height of 12 meters. By some miracle, the old church furniture survived, for example, the local pulpit dates back to 1470. Of particular note is the 16th century baptismal font designed by Albrecht, who came from Nuremberg.
