The Bears of Bern

16 September 2021

Who does not know them? Finn, Björk and Ursina, the three bears in Bern’s Bärenpark. In the middle of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, they inhabit the park on 5 000 square metres. Ursina (2009) is the daughter of Finn and Björk.

The Bear Park is part of the Dählölzli-Zoo and the Dählölzli animal park (Tierpark), the Dählölzli, between the Aare and the Dählölzliwald, where about 200 other animal species live.

According to legend, the history of the bears can be traced back to the founder of the city, Duke Berthold IV of Zähringen (1160-1218), who is said to have shot a bear at this spot and then founded the city in 1191. The coat of arms of Berne (and canton) also shows a bear in the middle.

(Source and further information: www.tierpark-bern.ch).