The Federal Palace of Bern (Bundeshaus) is located on the high rocky Bank of the river Aare. The Federal Assembly (bicameral Parliament) and the Federal Council, the Supreme authorities of the Swiss Confederation, meet here.
The Federal Palace was designed by the architect Hans Auer between 1894 and 1902. The exterior of the Palace with its rusticated masonry resembles palaces of the Italian Renaissance period in Florence, in particular the Pitti Palace. The height of the dome of the Federal Palace reaches 64 meters.
Many artists and sculptors in Switzerland worked to create the interiors of the Federal Palace in Bern. Inside the dome you can read the inscription in Latin Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno - "One for all and all for one". The coat of arms of Switzerland is surrounded by the coats of arms of 22 cantons. In 1902, when the Federal Palace was completed, there were 22 cantons in the Swiss Confederation, now there are 26.
Under the dome, there is a sculpture of the three founders of the Swiss Confederation. The heads of the cantons of Schwyz, Uri, and Unterwalden concluded a military Alliance against the Habsburgs on August 1, 1291. This event took place on the Rütli meadow near lake Lucerne, and received the name "Oath Rütli. Initially, the Union implied the economic independence of the Swiss cantons, but later they United not only their efforts in the fight against external enemies, but also their economic activities. This made the unified Swiss Confederation stronger.
The Palace building is open to the public, but photography inside is prohibited. There are only two days a year, July 31 and August 1, when tourists are allowed to photograph the interiors of the Federal Palace, including the national Council Meeting Room.
At the top of the Parliament hall, there are galleries that can be visited by anyone who wants to watch the sessions of the Parliament, listen to the debates. On the square next to the Federal Palace are the buildings of the Swiss National Bank and the Bank of the Canton of Bern.
