Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Ghost), Bern

Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Ghost), Bern

Conveniently located in the Old City of Bern, this beautiful church is a Swiss heritage site of national significance and one of the largest Swiss Reformed churches in the country. The first church on the site was a small structure built around 1228 which was replaced by a second church in 1496. The second church was demolished in 1726 to make way for the building you see today. During the 1726 construction, Roman religious objects were discovered under the foundation. From this find, it appears likely that the church sits on the site of an old Roman temple.

The first organ in the new church was installed in 1804 and was replaced in 1933 by a new one. The church has six bells – the oldest one was in 1596. The interior is supported by 14 monolithic columns made of sandstone and has a free-standing pulpit in the northern part of the nave. Especially notable are the old choir stalls, saved from the earlier church. Much like the St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva, the Church of the Holy Ghost holds about 2,000 people and is one of the largest Protestant churches in Switzerland.

Why You Should Visit:
Without a doubt one of the prettiest churches (if not the prettiest) of the late Baroque period in Bern.

Tip:
There are organ concerts every Friday at noon, very nice to enjoy and relax. Free entry!
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Bern. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Ghost) on Map

Sight Name: Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Ghost)
Sight Location: Bern, Switzerland (See walking tours in Bern)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Bern, Switzerland

Create Your Own Walk in Bern

Create Your Own Walk in Bern

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bern is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Fountains and Statues Walking Tour

Fountains and Statues Walking Tour

With over 100 public fountains in the Old Town alone, Bern has a well-deserved reputation as the "City of Fountains". During medieval times, local life revolved around fountains as they provided water for residents and served as locations for news exchange and social gatherings.

Throughout history, Bernese residents have cherished their fountains and decorated them with elaborate...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Bern Introduction Walking Tour

Bern Introduction Walking Tour

The de facto capital of Switzerland, Bern is commonly referred to by the Swiss as the "federal city". Built around a crook in the Aare River, it traces its origins back to the 12th century. According to the local legend, Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, founder of Bern, vowed to name the city after the first animal he would kill on the hunt. That animal happened to be a bear, hence the...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Bern's Historical Churches

Bern's Historical Churches

They say architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness. While the outside appearances of historical churches in Bern beckon seekers of beauty and tranquility, the ethereal atmosphere within embraces the visitor with a sense of timeless serenity.

Enveloped within Bern's historic old town, the Church of the Holy Ghost (Heiliggeistkirche) is one of the largest...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


Swiss Sweets and Pastries

Swiss Sweets and Pastries

Among other things that make Switzerland popular around the world, chocolate is definitely the one. Still, chocolate isn't the only Swiss-made sweet deserving attention, as there are plenty of baked products, such as Magenbrot, Vermicelles, and Biberli, to mention but a few, that are well worth...