Burgdorf
Intro
Nestled in a bend in the river Emme, the Zähringer town of Burgdorf is also known as the “gateway to the Emmental”. Burgdorf is best known for its castle, which with its positioning on a hill can be seen from far away.
It was the Zähringers who built a castle on a crag on the left bank of the Emme. They took advantage of the topographically and strategically favourable location above the only dry crossing of the Emme in this area. Burgdorf Castle has since become the town’s landmark and, together with the castle district, the town church and the old market, is considered Burgdorf’s architectural historical focus. Fascinatingly, the music school next door was originally used as an orphanage. Its first director was Friedrich A. Fröbel, who is known as the founder of the kindergarten movement.
All these buildings are located in the so-called upper town on the hill. From here, visitors can enjoy the views of the lower town with its striking roofscape featuring numerous stepped gables. Another part of Burgdorf worth visiting is the “Gsteig”, a ridge of hills covered with stately homes and villas, and crowned by monumental school buildings such as the former Technikum and the secondary school.
Burgdorf is surrounded by the Emme river, which flows around the town in a wide arc in the east and, together with the rock walls, acts as a natural city boundary. Just behind Burgdorf begin the green hills of the Emmental, known above all for the typical Bernese houses and for its cheese.
ISOS
ISOS is the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance. The inventory is maintained by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and lists the most significant settlements in Switzerland. Today, some 1,200 places are included in the inventory, from hamlets right through to cities. The inventory provides information on the development and identity of the settlements listed in it, thereby contributing to the preservation of architectural diversity in Switzerland and promoting both sustainable planning and a high-quality Baukultur.
