Burgdorf literally means “castle village,” named after Schloss Burgdorf built on a hill atop the city. Apart from having excellent cheese in the Emmental valley, it also has a representative sample of regional architecture. The castle was built in the 11th century and most of the old town was built by the 17th century.
Reformed church 
Villa Roth on top of a hill 
Burgdorf panorama
The covered arcades around Kronenplatz, the old town square, are reminiscent of the arcade style in Bern. This style contributed to Bern’s historic streets being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Venture just outside of the old town to Metzgergasse and you can enjoy a view of neatly-lined houses from the Salderstrasse bridge. These colourful buildings with wooden shutters are not unlike houses in the Romandie region of French-speaking Switzerland like Geneva and Lausanne.
Metzgergassee 
Arcade 
Kronenplatz 
Arcade 
Kronenplatz
The entire city is in the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites, so there are not shortage of historic things to see. Villa Roth is a neoclassical house built in 1895 with a wonder garden and fountain. The reformed church is the central religious structure representing the majority-protestant population.
Galerie im Park 
Museum Franz Gersch 
Alte Schlachthaus 
Villa Roth
The Altes Schlachthaus sits right on the end of Mühlegasse and used to be a local hospital with a church. It is now an art gallery with regularly changing exhibitions. The Franz Gertsch Museum is another art museum in the city, but with a vert modern take on its art and architecture. The artist its named after is still alive today and the building’s monolithic concrete façade stands out in the medieval city.
