Berne, whose Stade de Suisse Wankdorf will host matches at UEFA EURO 2008™, is the federal capital of Switzerland, and is situated in the west-central part of the country on the River Aare. The city is also the capital of the canton of Berne, the second most populous of Switzerland’s cantons.

Berne was founded as a military post in 1191. It became part of the Swiss confederation in 1353, and became the Swiss capital in 1848. The city is a thriving administrative, university and industrial centre, which also hosts the Swiss parliament building, the Bundeshaus. It is the seat of a number of international organisations, including the Universal Postal Union, and its manufactures include precision instruments, textiles, machinery, chemical and pharmaceutical products, and chocolate. Berne’s beauty and standing has also seen it named as a UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

A pleasant city which is extremely popular with tourists, Berne city is mainly medieval in architecture, with an outstanding 15th-century cathedral and a 15th-century town hall. A famous visiting point for tourists is the Zytglogge, a medieval clock tower with moving puppets. In addition, tourists flock to the Berne bear pit – which exists in accordance with Berne’s century-long association with bears.

Berne is a regular destination for visitors from throughout the world, not only because of its own attractions, but also because of its proximity to the Bernese Oberland and the famous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Alpine mountains. Walking and winter sports are vastly popular pastimes.

Berne is proud to be a part of the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship. Its local football team, BSC Young Boys, is one of the most famous clubs in Switzerland, and the city’s ice-hockey team – SC Bern, attracts among the biggest crowds in Europe to its home games.

Official links
BSC Young Boys
Berne Tourism
Stade de Suisse Wankdorf
City of Berne
Canton de Berne
Berne Airport

 Stadium: Berne - Stade de Suisse Wankdorf

The Stade de Suisse Wankdorf in Berne is the home of a club rich in tradition, BSC Young Boys.

Formerly known as the Wankdorf stadium, it was the venue of the Federal Republic of Germany's 1954 FIFA World Cup final success against Hungary. After countless international and Swiss domestic matches, the hallowed stadium was demolished on 3 August 2001.

In its place, a multifunctional football stadium with 30,000 covered seats has been built. A shopping centre, restaurants and a public school building are secondary functions of the site. The roof of the new stadium will also see the installation of the largest integrated solar power system in the world.

[copyright: uefa.com]