Waisenhausplatz

Waisenhausplatz is a broad, open square in the heart of Bern that stands out from the surrounding medieval streets by its sheer size and its unadorned, practical layout. While much of the city is defined by tight alleyways and sandstone arcades, this space was created by building over a former defensive ditch in front of the city's second wall. Its name, which translates to Orphanage Square, points to the institutional buildings that once occupied its northern edge as part of the city's old welfare system.