Tours
Zytglogge Clock Tower Tour
What to expect behind Bern’s most famous clock
The Zytglogge is the Old Town’s most iconic landmark: a medieval clock tower that once marked the western gate of the city and, since the early 1500s, has carried Bern’s famous astronomical clock. Four minutes before every hour a small crowd gathers on the Kramgasse side to watch the figures perform—a crowing rooster, a parade of bears, the jester and Father Time. That street show is free and takes about four minutes. The guided tour is the real upgrade: it takes you up inside the tower to the mechanism itself, where you stand beside the great clockwork and look out over the rooftops the clock has timed for five centuries.
Run by Bern Welcome (the city’s official tourism office), the tour climbs roughly 130 steps over about an hour, with a guide explaining how the medieval gears keep time, how the astronomical dial tracks the sun, moon and zodiac, and how the figures are choreographed before the bell strikes. Departure times rotate with the season, so the most reliable plan is to check the live schedule on bern.com when you decide on a date and book your slot there—groups are capped at around 19 people and popular times fill up.
What you see on the tour
- The original clockwork mechanism—one of the oldest still running in Switzerland—with its weights, gears and escapement laid bare.
- The reverse side of the astronomical dial, where the guide explains how the calendar, zodiac and moon phases are read.
- The figure mechanism that drives the rooster, the bears, the jester and Chronos before each hour.
- A high window view over the arcaded streets—Kramgasse stretching east toward the cathedral quarter, Marktgasse west toward the station.
- The context that turns the hourly street show from a tourist curiosity into something you genuinely understand.
The climb is up narrow medieval stairs—steady rather than strenuous, but not step-free. If tight spiral staircases are difficult for you, the free street show below gives you the spectacle without the ascent.
A little history, so the tour lands
The tower began life around 1218–1220 as the city’s western gate. As Bern grew westward it lost that role and became a prison tower, then—after a great fire in 1405—was rebuilt and fitted with the great clock that gave it its name (Zytglogge means "time bell" in Bernese German). The astronomical clock and its moving figures were installed in the early 16th century, and the painted facade you see today has been renewed over the centuries while keeping the same scenes.
For Bern the Zytglogge isn't just a photo stop: it was the city's official timekeeper and the zero point from which distances along the old roads were once measured. Knowing that makes the moment when you stand beside the mechanism—still ticking after five hundred years—feel less like a museum and more like meeting the heart of the Old Town.
Booking tips (so it doesn't feel stressful)
- Book your slot in advance through bern.com, especially for weekends and the summer months—walk-up spaces are not guaranteed.
- Departure times shift with the season, so confirm the schedule for your exact date rather than assuming a fixed daily time.
- Arrive a few minutes early at the Kramgasse-side meeting point; small groups and narrow stairways mean the guide can't wait long.
- Catch the free figure show below first (four minutes before the hour) so you can spot, from inside, what you watched from the street.
- Pair the tour with a coffee on Kramgasse and a slow Old Town wander, not a rushed checklist day.
How to Fit It Into Your Day
The easiest plan is to treat the Zytglogge as the “center point” of an Old Town loop: arcades walking → clock tower tour → fountain detours → cathedral quarter viewpoints → Bear Park and Rosengarten finish.
- Start with the Old Town walking tour.
- Wander the covered arcades (Lauben) that run right past the tower.
- Add the skyline view at Rosengarten.
- For a complete schedule, use Bern in one day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a ticket to see the Zytglogge?
Not to see it from the street. The tower stands on a public square and the moving-figure show—four minutes before each hour—is completely free. You only need a ticket if you want the guided tour up inside the tower to the clockwork itself.
How much is the guided tour and how long does it take?
The tour is CHF 25 for adults, CHF 20 reduced (students, AHV/IV) and CHF 12 for children 6–16, and it runs about an hour with roughly 130 steps to climb. Private tours start from around CHF 300. Confirm the current rate and times when you book through bern.com.
When does the clock's figure show happen?
About four minutes before every full hour, the rooster crows, the bears parade and the jester rings his bells before the bell strikes. Stand on the Kramgasse (eastern) side for the clearest view, and arrive a couple of minutes early to get a spot.
In which languages are tours offered?
Bern Welcome runs the tours in German, French, Italian and English. The language offered varies by departure, so it's worth confirming the English slot when you book.
Is the climb suitable for everyone?
The tower is reached by narrow medieval stairs, so it isn't step-free and can feel tight for anyone uneasy on spiral staircases. If that's a concern, the free street show below delivers the spectacle with no climbing at all.
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