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Bernese landmark

The cathedral in Bern is the magnum opus of the late Gothic period in Switzerland.

A symbol of what was once the largest city state north of the Alps towers above the old town of Bern. Its foundation stone was laid in 1421 but disease, war and static miscalculations delayed construction for many years. The tower was completed in 1588 at a height of 55m. The new gothic tower crown – nearly doubling its height – was not added until late in the 19th century.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR