Bundeshaus

Frommer's Review

This Renaissance building, the Federal Palace, contains the two chambers of Switzerland's Parliament. Inaugurated in 1902, the Parliament building has a glass dome that displays the coats of arms of all 22 Swiss cantons. Of interest are the stained-glass windows, which symbolize education, public works, defense, and justice. In the ground-floor rotunda a relief depicts the legend of the origin of Switzerland as dramatized in Schiller's saga of Wilhelm Tell. You can also visit the Chamber of the National Council, dominated by a large fresco by Gyron, and the Chamber of the Council of States, decorated with a mural painting by Albert Welti. This monument, which had been closed, has announced a major re-opening, attendant with lots of civic pride and fanfare, for sometime during the early summer of 2008.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.