ZOLLHAUS is the German word for tollhouse. In 1844, on the historical bridge “Nydeggbrücke”, the custom officers Schuster and Kohli’s duty is to collect the taxes from anyone who wishes to cross the Bridge and access the old city of Bern. Anyone who passes the bridge, so the specifications, should be met with courtesy and decency and the taxes shall be demanded in a good manner. The duty of the Officers was not an easy one because the bridge was, although private, part of the public area, and all sorts of customers came by.

Just 9 years after the official opening in 1844, the tollhouses have already lost their meaning.
Since the abolition of these taxes on March 1, 1853, and after several tenants, the tollhous at the south-eastern end of the “Nydeggbrücke” is now home to the One Suite Hotel ZOLLHAUS.

The Hotel ZOLLHAUS offers you an incomparable accommodation on 70 sq m and two floors.

On the upper floor awaits you the master bedroom with a twin-/double bed, a small sitting area as well as the master bathroom with a freestanding shower.

On the ground floor, a functional sofa bed invites you to linger while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Old Town of Bern - UNESCO World Heritage, the BearPark and the river Aare. Handcrafted and customized furniture from Plinio Il Giovane offer you a luxurious and sophisticated comfort within your own 4 walls.

A small dining area and a second bathroom complete the ground floor. Refrigerator, coffee machine and 2 safes belong to the interior as well as 2 flatscreen TVs.

These were the last words in Karl Emanuel Müller’s report about the ceremonial opening of the Nydeggbrücke in 1844. With a celebration, attended by the entire city, the grand opening took place on the 23 November in 1844.

The official guests were the authorities of the state and the city, the management of the bridge construction with their employees and the shareholders. At 2 pm, the participants gathered in front of the casino for a festive pageant, ....
The fountain just beneath the Obstberg - exactly in the axis of the bridge - had been turned into a speaker's platform. The pastor of the Church of Nydegg , Ferdinand Friedrich Zyro, gave a beautiful "adequate inauguration speech", which, however, by no means occurred to many as not as brief as announced in the program. Then the president, old councilor Karl Zeerleder, took the floor; He talked about the difficulties that had arisen during the construction, which were overcome by "common sense, prudence and perseverance." He thanked everyone involved and declared the bridge open.

Die Berner Nydeggbrücke, history of a pioneering architectural achievement, Urs Emch, 2013

Watching the Bears Finn, Björk and Ursina play while enjoying a small breakfast and marvel the beautiful scenery of the Old Town of Bern? Hotel ZOLLHAUS makes it possible. Start your day with our small but fine breakfast within your own 4 walls or on your private terrace.
Our small breakfast is served daily through a small door in the entrance door.

Breakfast may be served between 8am and 10.30am.

Please be advised that due to organizational reasons, we are not able to serve your breakfast outside these hours.

Please contact us during office hours for any special request.

The small brakfast contains:

Serve yourself round the clock with coffee from Adriano's or tea from Länggasse-Tee.

The clocks tick slower in Bern than elsewhere. Being in a hurry or having a hectic lifestyle are foreign concepts to the Bernese. But they are not slow, as other Swiss people may tell you with a wink, they simply know how to embrace the art of living. In the capital of leisure, you can float around at your own pace, take time to enjoy yourself and celebrate in the open air.
Visit our Parliament Building, take a dip in the crystal clear Aare river or stroll around the worldfamous arcades. In 1983, the historic old town in the centre of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For tips and more information visit:

The city of Bern's relationship with its heraldic animal goes back many years. Legend has it that a bear was the first animal to be caught by city founder Berchtold V. von Zähringen during a hunting expedition in the area, and that the city owes its name to this.

The Bernese chronicler Valerius Anshelm described in 1513 how the Bernese returned home victorious from the Battle of Novara, carrying both the captured standards and a living bear as spoils of war in their triumphal procession. It was kept in the city moat in front of the Käfigturm (Cage Tower).

Bears have been kept in Bern since 1513. Up until 1857 they were in the city itself, then in the bear pit and, from 2009, in the BearPark.

Today the BearPark is home to three bears named Finn, Björk and Ursina. You can observe from the upper terrace or from the Aare how the powerful bears search out food, laze around in the sun or take a cool bath.
It is open around the clock and free for all visitors.

From your very first overnight stay in a tourist accommodation in the city of Bern, you will receive a Bern Ticket for your whole stay, which lets you travel for free on public transport in zones 100/101 operated by the LIBERO Association.
It includes the following:

You like it sporty? No problem!
After a long wait and a positive decision from the city administration, installation of the bike sharing locations began on 7 May. At the end of June, the first 60 stations with about 700 bikes will be in service.