Burgdorf: Castle, Old Town and Emme

Burgdorf is a small town on the Emme in the Swiss Plateau, about 20 kilometres northeast of Bern. Forests, sandstone cliffs and the first hills of the Emmental shape the surrounding landscape. A dense rail and bus network, as well as a nearby motorway junction, connect the town. Burgdorf is an ideal base for exploring the Emmental landscape and cultural attractions in Bern, Solothurn, Biel and Thun.

Old Town, castle and town life

Burgdorf’s Old Town consists of the Oberstadt and Kornhaus quarter. Historic urban architecture meets culture, culinary offerings, shopping, markets and places to stroll. In the lanes, you’ll find specialist shops, traditional confectioners and goldsmiths’ workshops. At the market, you can linger over a coffee or aperitif and take in everyday life in Burgdorf.

Castle Burgdorf stands above the town and is considered the largest and best-preserved Zähringer castle complex. Its significance is national and possibly international. At the Museum Schloss Burgdorf, varied exhibitions bring the past to life: visitors can play, explore and try things out for themselves. The castle restaurant serves regional specialities and offers views over Burgdorf and the hills of the Emmental.

Churches, museums and history

The town church is Burgdorf’s largest church building. Its 72-metre-high tower is visible from far away; the rood screen is considered one of Switzerland’s finest examples of stone carving. A little outside the town, on the banks of the Emme, is St Bartholomew’s Chapel, also known as the Leper Chapel. The route there crosses the wooden Wynigen Bridge. Today, services and concerts are regularly held in the chapel.

The Franz Gertsch Museum is dedicated to the work of artist Franz Gertsch (1930–2022). Around half of its exhibition space is reserved for temporary exhibitions of contemporary art; the exhibition programme may change. The Old Slaughterhouse, originally a Gothic building, displays part of the extensive body of work by Bernhard Luginbühl (1929–2011).

Burgdorf also offers points of interest related to the history of craftsmanship and technology. A company museum was established in the former premises of Klötzli Messerschmiede to mark the company’s 175th anniversary. Five generations of the family lived and worked in these premises. The vehicle collection of the Foundation for Historic Material of the Swiss Army comprises more than 400 objects and is housed in three halls at AMP Burgdorf. Its focus is on documenting the motorisation of the Swiss Army and the related history of Switzerland’s now-defunct truck, tractor and motorcycle industries.

The Emme, nature and trails

The Schachen along the Emme is a popular local recreation area for walkers, joggers and cyclists, as well as for people who come to barbecue. Burgdorf also has many walking trails through forests and over hills. Oberburgschachen provides an intact habitat for numerous animal and plant species. The Meiemoos between Burgdorf and Lyssach is listed in the Inventory of Raised and Transitional Bogs of National Importance.

The trails offer a range of different themes. The Bänkliweg leads to 20 special benches and their associated viewpoints. On the approximately 6-kilometre-long Burgdorf–Wynigen Planet Trail, an outdoor model at a scale of 1:1 billion illustrates the relative sizes of the Sun and planets, as well as their distances from the Sun. The fish nature trail runs along the Emme and covers fish, their way of life and the species found in the river at eleven stations. The options therefore range from viewpoints and a model of the solar system to information about life in the river.

Other activities in Burgdorf include bathing and swimming, tennis, horse riding and fishing. The Schachen brings several leisure activities together in one place: it is used for walking, jogging, cycling and barbecuing. If you’re looking for a more educational route, the Planet Trail and the fish nature trail offer two different themes.

Planning your stay

The Burgdorf Gehört Gehört audio guide follows 30 stations from the railway station to the Oberstadt, on to the castle and through the Unterstadt, before returning to the station. Ten additional stations expand the tour with topics such as Burgdorf’s history, notable figures and local specialities. No login is required for the audio guide, and you can choose the order of the stations freely. As digital access details can change, it’s worth checking shortly before your tour.

The Burgdorf Tourist Office provides information about attractions, events, hotels, restaurants and day trips, and organises or arranges guided tours of the town. This lets you explore Burgdorf according to your interests: through historic buildings and museums, along trails and nature-themed routes, or with a stroll through the Old Town and market.

Discover more destinations: Oberburg, Kaltacker, Krauchthal, Lyssach, Hasle Bei Burgdorf

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