Discover Berne: history, Swiss Days, and carillon

Choose Berne based on your reason for traveling

If you’re looking for a hotel in Berne, you can start by deciding what your trip will focus on: the history of the First Mennonite Church of Berne, the annual Swiss Days, the daily carillon performance at Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower, or the Canoper Walking/Biking Trail each raises different planning questions. These may concern historical context, a weekend in the annual calendar, a time of day, or a route connecting Berne and Geneva.

Church history in two periods

The First Mennonite Church of Berne dates back to 1852, when about 70 Swiss Mennonites immigrated from “Muensterberg” in the Bernese Jura. The Gothic church building was built later, between 1910 and 1912. These are two distinct milestones in the timeline: 1852 marks the congregation’s origins, while 1910 to 1912 marks the construction period of the Gothic building. The history therefore cannot be reduced to a single founding or construction year. Anyone learning about the church can consider both the immigrants’ Swiss origins and the later construction phase.

Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower

Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower is home to the only Swiss canton tree in the United States. A live carillon performance is also presented there daily at 12 noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., and 9 p.m. The tree is a permanent feature of the plaza; for the carillon, the daily performance times are what matter. They span from noon to 9 p.m., spread throughout the day. If the performance is important to your visit, you can plan around one of the times and check the current schedule shortly beforehand.

Swiss Days: a set time in July

Swiss Days takes place every year on the last full weekend in July. This makes it different from the daily carillon performance: Swiss Days requires planning for a weekend on the annual calendar, while the carillon can be planned around at four times on a single day. If you’re traveling for Swiss Days, check the specific calendar dates for that year: it takes place on a weekend in July, not on a fixed day of the month.

The Canoper Walking/Biking Trail

The Canoper Walking/Biking Trail is accessible under ADA standards and connects Berne with Geneva. If walking or cycling is part of your reason for traveling, you can include this connection in your plans. The connection to Geneva and the ADA classification answer different questions: where the trail leads and how its accessibility is classified. Because trail conditions can change, check the current conditions before setting out.

For the broader travel overview: Adams County.