Käfigturm

The Käfigturm and Marktgasse district of Bern, Switzerland is a stunning section of the old city that transports visitors to a medieval past. Around the corner from the town hall, the Käfigturm—Swiss for “cage tower”— acts as a reminder of historical crisis in the city. Its unique appearance is due to the fact that it served as a prison in the 1300s—prisoners would be put in an iron cage attached to the tower walls. The Marktgasse, which winds around the Käfigturm, is a picturesque street filled with outdoor cafés, boutiques and bookstores. The steep lane is lined with colorful, facades from the 16th century, and it used to be the site of a weekly market in the day. Visitors can have a look at Old Bern’s honorary memorials such as the Barber-Surgeons guild and the city’s oldest day spa in the nearby lanes. No visit to Bern would be complete without a tour of this corner of the old town!