The Prison Tower

The Prison Tower

A stop on the Berne audio-guided tour, the Prison Tower, the Kafigturm, is one of the emblematic images of the city. The current tower is more recent, but the original was built between 1256 and 1344 to serve as a city gate and watchtower.

From a gate to a prison

When the city expanded in the fourteenth century, the gate lost its original use. In 1404, the great fire that ravaged much of the city destroyed the Clock Tower, which then served as a prison. A clock was installed on the former watchtower and the prisoners were transferred there.

What to see

It was here that the presumed guilty were interrogated and imprisoned; registers, the tower books, recount the interrogations and confessions. Today, the Kafigturm is a place of memory and a political information centre. Observe this massive tower, a witness to Berne's judicial past.

Practical information

The Prison Tower stands in the heart of Berne's old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It can be viewed freely from the street; visiting conditions should be checked depending on the season.

When was the Prison Tower built ?

The original was built between 1256 and 1344 as a city gate and watchtower.

What are the tower books ?

Registers that recount the interrogations and confessions of the tower's prisoners.