The story
Welcome to the threshold of history. You are standing at Gerechtigkeitsgasse 1, right where the ancient cobblestones of Bern’s Old Town meet the sweeping stone arch of the Nydegg Bridge. This is the spot where every visitor stops, looks around, and inevitably asks the same three questions.
As your guide, I’m here to give you the inside story before you even have to ask. First, guests always point to the church beside us and ask if it is the oldest building in the city. This is the Nydeggkirche, and the answer is a fascinating yes and no.
While the church itself was built in the 14th century, it sits on the very foundation of Bern’s origin story. This specific plot of land was once the site of the Nydegg Castle, built in 1191 by Duke Berthold the Fifth of Zähringen to protect the peninsula. The castle was eventually demolished by the city’s own citizens, and the church rose from its ruins.
If you look at the lower masonry, you are quite literally looking at the birthplace of Bern. The second question people ask is about the bridge itself. Was this always the main entrance to the town?
Surprisingly, the answer is no. For nearly seven hundred years, if you wanted to enter Bern from the east, you had to descend all the way down to the river bank, cross a low wooden bridge, and then hike up a punishingly steep incline. This grand stone structure, the Nydeggbrücke, wasn't opened until 1844.
It was a revolutionary piece of engineering that allowed people to enter the city on a level plane for the first time. It transformed Bern from a secluded medieval fortress into a modern European capital. Finally, everyone asks about the name of the street: Justice Alley.
Why is the very first house in the city located on a street named after Justice? If you look up the street, you’ll see the famous Fountain of Justice. In the 1500s, this was the heart of the city’s legal and social life.
The street was designed to be wide and impressive to reflect the power of the Bernese Republic. From here at number 1, you are standing at the perfect transition point. Behind you lies the UNESCO World Heritage old town with its six kilometers of limestone arcades, and right in front of you, just across the bridge, lies the world-famous Bear Park.
You are standing between the legend of the past and the living symbols of the present. Take a moment to enjoy the view of the Aare river below; it’s the same turquoise water that has defended and defined this city for over eight hundred years.