Gerechtigkeitsgasse

The Gerechtigkeitsgasse ("Justice Alley") is one of the principal streets in the Old City of Berne, the medieval city center of Berne, Switzerland. Together with its extension, the "Kramgasse", it is the heart of the inner city. [Hofer, 74] Hans Gieng's most famous fountain figure, the statue of Lady Justice on the "Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen", commands the view of the street's gentle slopes and curves. [Hofer, 74]

The Gerechtigkeitsgasse and its buildings are a heritage site of national significance [Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance (1995), p. 103.] and part of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site that encompasses the Old City.

Topography

The Gerechtigkeitsgasse is m to ft|260 long. It is the eastern half and the oldest part of the central East-West axis of the city's oldest neighbourhood, the "Zähringerstadt", built right after the founding of the city in 1191. [Hofer, 66, Caviezel et al., 163.] It continues to the west as the "Kramgasse" after being crossed by the "Kreuzgasse". In the west, the Gerechtigkeitsgasse bifurcates as it enters the "Nydegg" neighbourhood: the "Nydeggstalden" leads to the "Untertorbrücke", and the "Nydeggasse" to the more recent "Nydeggbrücke". Several narrow alleys and passageways connect the Kramgasse to the parallel "Postgasse" in the north and the "Junkerngasse" in the south.

The Gerechtigkeitsgasse cannot be reached by car without a special permit. It is accessible by foot or bike or by means of the Bernmobil bus line no. 12 that runs through it and stops at either end of the street ("Rathaus" and "Nydegg"). Both sides of the street are covered with "Lauben", stone arcades that protect pedestrians from inclement weather.

History

The Gerechtigkeitsgasse was the main street of the town at the time of its founding. With its original width of around m to ft|26, reduced to m to ft|18 after the construction of the arcades, it also served as the central marketplace of medieval Berne. [Hofer, 66; Caviezel et al., 163.] For this reason, the Gerechtigkeitsgasse and the Kramgasse together were called the "Märitgasse" (Swiss German for "Market Alley") up until the 16th century. [Caviezel et al., 163.] After that time, the markets moved west towards the "Zytglogge", and the street came to be called "by der Gerechtigkeit" ("near [Lady] Justice"), in reference to the fountain installed in 1543. [Hofer, 67] Only in 1798 was the street officially renamed "Gerechtigkeitsgasse". [Caviezel et al., 163] The meat and bread stalls, the tannery and most guilds also moved out of the street between 1450 and 1550 as it gradually became a residential area mainly for the ruling noble families. [Hofer, 68] The urban tribunal with its pillory and judge's chair made of stone remained located in the street near the "Kreuzgasse" significantly longer. [Hofer, 68]

On the eastern end, the streetscape was altered by the slighting of Nydegg Castle in 1270, the demolition of other fortifications up until 1405 and several excavations of the roadbed up until 1764 to reduce the street's downward slope. [Hofer, 69–70; Caviezel et al., 163.] In 2005, the street was thoroughly renovated and its cobblestone pavement replaced. The city ditch ("Stadtbach") running through the middle of the street since medieval times is now visible again through metal gratings. [Caviezel et al., 163–4.]

Buildings

The architectural history of the Gerechtigkeitsgasse is mostly not recorded up until 1600. [Hofer, 72] The oldest dated house is no. 60, built in 1531 by Hans Franz Nägeli. Roughly half the buildings bear the imprint of the late 16th century. [Hofer, 72] Renaissance architecture and the early Baroque touched the outside of the buildings only lightly. [Hofer, 72] As in the Kramgasse, two thirds of the houses received new façades up until 1780, reshaping most of the eastern and central part of the street in the image of the late Baroque. [Hofer, 72] Unlike other streets, no substantial changes were made to the streetscape since; a project to demolish five houses in 1954 was prevented by exceptionally broad public opposition, receiving international support. [Hofer, 72–73]

House no. 7, the "Goldener Adler" ("Golden Eagle"), is Berne's oldest hostel and tavern. It was first recorded in 1489 as "Weisses Kreuz"; the building is a 1764 construction by N. Hebler. The eagle head holding the inn sign is one of the chief works of this type in Switzerland. [Caviezel et al., 164.] No. 40 is Berne's most expansive urban palais; it is exemplary for the insertion of a French "hôtel" in the medieval cityscape. [Caviezel et al., 165.] It was built in 1743 by Albrecht Türler for Alexander von Wattenwyl and was the site of the surrender of the Helvetic government to French troops on 18 September 1802. [Caviezel et al., 164.] No. 42 is the first certain work of Türler, who was 28 years old when designing it in 1734 for Niklaus Jenner.

House no. 33 is significant as a principal work of Bernese manierism with one of the best Régence façades and Louis XV interior. [Caviezel et al., 166.] It was built in 1608 by Andres Widmer and the exterior was reshaped by Türler in 1740. [Caviezel et al., 166.] No. 52, built 1730, is considered to be Niklaus Sprüngli's best town house. [Caviezel et al., 166.] No. 56, a rather simple 1730 Régence house, is noted for its exceptional door knocker. [Caviezel et al., 166.] No. 62 houses the "Klötzlikeller" restaurant. Established in 1632, it is the last of originally more than 200 cellar taverns of Berne. [Caviezel et al., 168.] No. 79, the "Gesellschaftshaus zum Distelzwang", built 1703 by Samuel Jenner, is a principal work of early Baroque architecture in Berne. [Caviezel et al., 169.]

References

Bibliography

*Citation
last1 = Caviezel
first1 = Zita
last2 = Herzog
first2 = Georges
last3 = Keller
first3 = Jürg A.
year = 2006
title = Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Solothurn
edition = 1st
volume = 3
series = Kunstführer durch die Schweiz
publication-place = Berne
publisher = Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte
pages = 188 et seq.
isbn = 3-906131-97-1
*Citation
last = Limbach
first =Fridolin
year = 1978
title = Die schöne Stadt Bern: die bewegte Geschichte der alten "Märit-" oder "Meritgasse", der heutigen Gerechtigkeits- und Kramgasse und der alten Zähringerstadt Bern
place = Berne
publisher = Benteli
isbn = 3-7165-0273-1
*Citation
last = Hofer
first = Paul
year = 1952
series = Kunstdenkmäler des Kantons Bern
volume = 1
title = Die Stadt Bern
publication-place = Basel
editor =
publisher = Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte / Verlag Birkhäuser
pages = 242 et seq.
url = http://digibiblio.unibe.ch/digibern/Chopin/Engine/Systematik/viewer.asp?KatalogID=1&ImgNum=543
isbn = 3-90613-113-0

External links