The retaining wall of the cathedral platform will be renovated
Due to weather conditions, the retaining wall of the cathedral platform shows damage in various places and therefore needs to be renovated. The work will be carried out in several stages starting in February and should be completed by the end of 2026. First, the scaffolding will be erected on the east and parts of the south side of the masonry.
The construction of the first retaining walls near the present cathedral platform began as early as the 14th century. Between 1479 and 1531, the walls were extended and took on their present appearance. The last major renovation work took place in the late 1980s. Today, the thirty-metre-high retaining wall is damaged in various places due to the weather and therefore needs to be renovated. The renovation work will be carried out in several stages until 2026.
Cleaning and mortar application
At the beginning of February, the renovation work will begin with the erection of the scaffolding at the eastern corner of the retaining wall. The work on the masonry will be of varying degrees of depth: Some larger areas of the wall will simply need to be cleaned and cleared of vegetation. On other parts of the wall, it will be necessary to apply mortar or fill in cracks and joints. The original structure is retained as far as possible. As part of the renovation, Energie Wasser Bern (ewb) is replacing the existing lighting on the wall with more economical LED spotlights. All the renovation work was planned in cooperation with the monument preservation service.
The platformremains open
The platform remains open during the renovation work. The respective work areas will be closed to the public with barriers. In the Badgasse, which is located at the foot of the wall, some of the parking spaces must be temporarily removed to allow for the installation of scaffolding and construction equipment. Replacement parking spaces will be provided. However, due to the narrowness of the space in the Matte, only part of the parking spaces can be replaced.
Preservation of a historical monument
The renovation of the retaining walls will preserve the cathedral platform as a historical monument in Bern’s old town and ensure safety. In March 2022, the City Council approved a construction credit of CHF 3.32 million for the renovation.