Today, the French Church in Bern is much more than just a place of prayer and refuge. It is now the oldest sacred building in the capital and attracts fans of architecture, art and culture alike.
The place of worship was built in the 13th century by the local Dominicans. From 1623 onward it served the Protestant community and was home to French church services. Later, the church became known as a safe haven for the Huguenots.
Located just a stone’s throw away from the Kornhaus granary and Bern’s Lower Old Town, the French Church’s architectural and artistic elements are a monument to the past. Gothic pillars with high, narrow windows are combined with the austerity of the Reformation. The wooden ceiling panels in the central nave are complemented by meticulously painted wall murals around the triumphal arches. Art lovers can feast their eyes on the Nelkenmeister frescoes and test their eyesight searching for the two hidden Nägeli.
An ornate organ adorns the wall on the rood screen above the altar. Its unmistakable tones (the organ is one of the best in the city), along with the choral concerts and musical productions of major works, regularly flood the church’s interior with imposing, harmonious and polyphonic melodies. The French Church’s splendid acoustics ensure that concerts are truly memorable experiences.
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The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.
