BärenPark, Bern

What it is

BärenPark is the city-centre home of Bern’s brown bears, directly below the Old Town and beside the Nydegg Bridge. The enclosure replaced the confines of the historic Bärengraben with a sloping habitat that reaches the Aare. It is part of Tierpark Bern but is separate from the main Dählhölzli zoo.

The park is also a useful place to read Bern’s long association with the bear: the animal remains visible across the city on flags, fountains and buildings.

The layout

The park extends from the former bear pit down the hillside to the river. Visitor paths and viewing points follow the change in level, giving different angles on the enclosure and the Aare below.

Look for the practical elements of a bear habitat rather than a formal zoo display:

• wooded and planted slopes for cover
• caves and retreat spaces
• climbing terrain and foraging areas
• a large pool alongside the river

The old large bear pit remains part of the facility. Bears may be there for roughly an hour daily while keepers clean and prepare the main riverside enclosure.

Seeing the bears

Finn, Björk and Ursina live here. Their food is distributed and hidden at changing times and locations, so there is no fixed public feeding hour. This encourages the bears to search and work for food; it also means sightings are unpredictable.

Summer through late autumn is generally the most active period, when the animals forage, climb, bathe and rest. From November to mid-March they usually take winter rest in their dens and may be rarely visible. Even outside winter, bears can disappear into vegetation.

Rule: do not feed the bears. Visitor feeding is strictly prohibited.

Access and movement

Entry is free, and BärenPark is open around the clock throughout the year. From Bern railway station, take bus 12 towards Zentrum Paul Klee and alight at BärenPark. The stop is also a straightforward arrival point from the eastern edge of the Old Town.

The upper address is Grosser Muristalden 4. Paths connect the upper viewing level with the Aare promenade. The free BäreBähnli inclined lift provides a wheelchair-friendly link between them; its standard operating hours are 08:00–17:00. Keepers are normally present during the same hours.

Dogs must stay on a lead. Public toilets are in the Altes Tramdepot building above the park.

Combine it well

Start at the upper level for the relationship between the old bear pit, the park and the Old Town, then descend to the Aare promenade. The Nydegg Bridge is immediately beside the site, while the river path leads towards the Matte quarter and farther along the Aare. The visit works best as a short stop within a walk rather than as a timed animal show.