In the 12th century Berchtold V, Duke of Zahringen expanded his fortress on the River Aare and named his new town for the first animal he killed in the local woods (an unlucky brown bear).
But the Bernese didn’t leave it with bear motifs in statutes, but some Bernese soldiers returning from a victory in 1513 brought back a live bear and ever since the Bernese have enjoyed watching live bears in the Barenplatz (Bear Park), a special place just for the bears along the side of the River.
