The Bellevue Chronicle
The Bellevue Palace looks back on a long and eventful history. Following the opening of the Hotel Bellevue in 1865, the BELLEVUE PALACE was introduced in 1913, which still impresses today with its imposing architecture and spacious salons. Today, the hotel is owned by the Swiss Confederation and serves as their official guesthouse for delegations and state guests. The Bellevue Palace is managed by the MICHEL REYBIER HOSPITALITY.
THE BELLE ÉPOQUE
The late 19th century brought a generally peaceful time to Europe, which was extraordinarily favorable for the upswing in tourism. This flourished immensely, with Switzerland becoming Europe’s most popular and most visited travel destination and Bern being the preferred gateway to the mountain world. In a short time, the entrepreneurial spirit of some families turned unknown villages into world-famous spa towns.
The face of the city of Bern also changed rapidly. After it emerged victorious in the competition for the location as the federal capital following the founding of the federal state in 1848, appropriate facilities had to be provided for the federal councils. From 1852-1902, the federal buildings were constructed along the expansive terrace high above the Aare.
Friedrich Osswald seized the opportunity and recognized the uniqueness of this corner of the city on the rocky ridge overlooking the incomparably beautiful mountains. He built the “old” Hotel Bellevue between 1864-1865 between the mint and the old island hospital, where the Bundeshaus Ost stands today. The pleasure travelers of the high society, princes, English lords, Italian counts, as well as international diplomats, preferred to stay at the Bellevue. Soon, the old hotel no longer met the needs and was torn down in 1911. After only 21 months of construction in 1913, it made way for the BELLEVUE PALACE.
1640
On the current site of the hotel stood the “Streckiturm,” reportedly an old torture place of ancient Bern. This tower later gave way to the “Silberstrecki” where silver coins for the state of Bern were minted.
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1751
The Haller House was built in the westernmost part of the Bellevue Palace plot. The building later became the property of the federal government, housing the health office. In 1911, it was purchased from federal ownership by the Bellevue Joint Stock Company and demolished.
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1777
Emperor Joseph II visited incognito the scholar and poet Albrecht von Haller in the Haller House.
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1789-92
The Bernese mint was built, where from 1850 onwards, the coins of the Confederation were minted. The “Münz” stood on the site of today’s eastern wing of the hotel.
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1810-14
Daniel Osterrieth built the “Münzterrasse” and a small platform for alpine views called “Belvédère,” directly in front of the mint building.
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1848
Bern becomes the federal city of the Swiss Confederation. On September 14, the Federal Constitution was adopted by the last federal assembly, and on November 6, the federal councils were elected according to the first constitution.
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1856-58
The Bernerhof Hotel was built at the western end of today’s federal buildings. It had 123 rooms, 185 beds, and four bathrooms. After its closure in 1924, the Bellevue Palace took over the guests and continued under the name “Bellevue Palace Grandhotel and Bernerhof.” Today, the Bernerhof houses the Ministry of Finance.
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1857
Bern is integrated into the new railway network with connections to Solothurn, Olten, Basel, and Zurich.
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1864
The innkeeper from Baden, Friedrich Osswald, bought a plot east of the Haller House from the Aebi brothers on January 19, which included a barn and gardens. He built a hotel on it that same year, naming it “Bellevue” because of its proximity to the Belvédère.
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1865
The Hotel Bellevue is open, boasting 110 guest beds and 85 rooms, almost all with a view of the Alps. An advertisement from 1896 features a smoking room, ladies’ lounge, library, large terrace, passenger lift, electric light, telephone, baths, showers, central heating, garden, and a bus at the train station. Room prices start at Fr 4.00 – 8.00 for single and Fr 8.00 – 14.00 for double rooms. A heating surcharge of Fr. 2.00 is added, and lighting is included.
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1871
French General Bourbaki and his staff were quartered in the Hotel Bellevue after the army internment at Les Verrières on February 1.
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1882
Friedrich Haerlin becomes Osswald’s director until his sons Philipp and Alphons can take over. Haerlin later becomes the owner of the Vier Jahreszeiten hotel in Hamburg.
1883: Friedrich Osswald passes away.
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1895
Max Metz became the Hotel Bellevue chef and held this position until 1936.
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1896
The first car arrives in Bern, whose owner was a Spanish nobleman, and stayed at the Hotel Bellevue.
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1896
Philippine Osswald, the widow of the hotel founder, dies. The sons, especially Philipp, run the hotel alone.
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1911
At the urging of Philipp Osswald, the Société Anonyme du Bellevue Palace is founded. It buys the Haller House, which previously belonged to the Confederation.
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1911-13
Philipp Osswald and his chef Max Metz operate the “Hotel Bellevue en Miniature” on Effingerstrasse during the new building’s construction.
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1911
On November 1, the old hotel, the neighboring former mint, and the Haller House were demolished.
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1912
Demolition is completed on February 29, and construction begins on March 1. Up to 600 workers are employed on the site. The shell ends up being completed by November 30. The chosen construction method – a reinforced concrete corset with load-bearing components and a concrete roof – was avant-garde and revolutionary for its time. It was unimaginable for a representative hotel before World War I. Neoclassical architecture adopts the style of neighboring buildings from the 18th century. The Bellevue Bar is constructed and became Switzerland’s first American Bar. The construction costs amount to Fr. 3’255’923.50.
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1913
Paul Lindt, a Lindt & Hofmann architectural office partner, dies in a car accident near Offenburg on June 15. He does not live to see the completion of the Hotel Bellevue Palace.
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1913
On November 27th, the new BELLEVUE PALACE became operational. For the opening event, 2000 guests have been invited.
Fritz Eggimann, former director of the Bad Weissenburg Spa house, became the director of the new hotel. He held this position until 1933.
The hotel now has 200 guest rooms and 280 beds, with “all good rooms” equipped with private toilets, and a large portion of them also had bathrooms. Additionally, there was a telephone installed in each room. The room rate for the pension is set at Fr. 22.50.
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1914
On the eve of the tumult of war, the Swiss National Exhibition, taking place from May 15th to October 15th in Bern, initially brought significant visitors to the new establishment.
With the outbreak of World War I and the general elections on August 3rd, the Bellevue Palace becomes the headquarters for the general and the general staff throughout the duration of the war. General Wille was fine with the simultaneous presence of other guests. In one of the salons, Wille got his portrait painted in oil by Ferdinand Hodler and August Heer.
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1915
The “Inselgasse” is renamed to “Theodor Kocher-Gasse” after the Bernese physician and Nobel laureate, Theodor Kocher.
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1918
A general strike occurs, and the hotel’s ground floor accommodates 200 troops to protect the general and the general staff.
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1919
Rainer Maria Rilke stays at the hotel multiple times and engages in active correspondence with the owner of the Schönauer hairdressing salon for his orders of “camphor toilet water.” His letters from the Bellevue Palace are now in the National Library.
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1932-33
The “austere” needs of the guests during the Great Depression necessitate “costly adjustments and new furnishings.”
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1933
Director Eggimann passes away. Hermann Schmid, previously at the Baur au Lac in Zurich, becomes his successor and reorganizes the operation.
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1934
The Bellevue Palace AG takes over the central laundry facility.
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1934
Installation of 3 pairs of bathrooms per floor in the northern wing of the hotel. Additionally, the first extension is added to the north side of the eastern garden terrace to accommodate the “Tea Rooms” in the former billiard room and the city restaurant in the basement below the terrace. The project’s designer is Max Hofmann, who was also the architect of the building.
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1936
Max Metz, the head chef and shareholder of the hotel, is retired by the board of directors with a monthly pension of Fr. 250 “for observation” after 42 years of service and some friction loss. His successor is Cesar Scherrer.
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1939
The outbreak of World War II. The hotel remains open throughout the war years and became a “diplomatic” meeting place for various factions. Guests from the Axis powers are said to gather in one corner of the La Terrasse restaurant, while those from the Allied forces gather in another. During this time, the Bellevue Bar gains worldwide fame as a meeting place for locals, diplomats, parliamentarians, officials, and spies.
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1940
Half of the staff is mobilized, with up to 130 people at times. Several small apartments with cooking facilities are set up to attract long-term guests. As a result, the average length of stay increases to 6.48 days.
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1941
The Bellevue Bar undergoes a complete modernization, and the new Bellevue Grill is established in the former billiard room adjacent to it.
The cold winter and heating restrictions lead to local families residing in the hotel.
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1944
The billiard room in the basement of the eastern garden terrace is converted into a guest venue called “zur Münz.”
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1945
On May 8th, the long-awaited armistice is signed.
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1949
Director Hermann Schmid passes away, and his wife continues to run the operation.
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1953
Director Alfred Krebs, later the owner of the Regina Grindelwald, becomes the director.
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1953
The terrace dancing area is renovated.
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1955
Director Jost Schmid (son of H. Schmid) takes over management.
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1957
A hairdressing salon is established in the basement.
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1970
Four bathrooms are added from the first to the fourth floor, and the rooms are renovated simultaneously.
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1976
The Swiss National Bank, at the request of the Swiss Confederation, purchases Hotel Bellevue Palace to prevent a sale to foreign interests and ensure the continuation of the hotel operation. The government indicated it would take over the hotel “within ten years” at the latest, but it took almost 20 years. In the meantime, the hotel is operated by “Prohotel.”
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1977
Director Fritz Mäder takes over management.
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1978-79
The former grill is demolished, and the City Restaurant “Zur Münz” is built on the adjoining east terrace.
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1979
Roland Jöhri becomes the head chef.
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1980
The staff rooms in the attic, now the 5th floor, are converted into guest rooms.
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1981
Swissôtel, a subsidiary of Swissair and Nestlé, assumes the management of the hotel.
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1981
John le Carré’s espionage thriller “Smiley’s People,” starring Sir Alec Guinness, is filmed at Bellevue Palace.
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1982
The rooms on the 1st to 4th floors are renovated.
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1982
Director Jacques André Künzli takes over management.
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1983
Heinrich Lauber becomes the head chef, and Maître d’Hôtel Kurt Aeberhard (until 2003) takes over the management of the Bellevue Grill. His “et voilà” when lifting the silver cloches becomes legendary.
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1986
Director Melchior Windlin takes over the management of the hotel. April 2nd to May 26th – Expert meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in Bern. The hotel hosts various delegations and is closed to the public during this time.
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1987
Renovation work begins in four stages in the fall, extending until 1991, with an investment volume of 20 million Swiss Francs.
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1988
For its 75th anniversary, the Swiss National Bank gifts the hotel to the Swiss Confederation. However, this is delayed until 1994 due to the Federal Council’s request for a comprehensive concept for further use and additional investments.
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1990
Swissôtel becomes Japanese-owned, and the Swiss National Bank takes over the hotel operation independently.
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1994
On June 24th, the Swiss National Bank, represented by Bank President Dr. Markus Lusser, donated the hotel to the federal government with its 99.7% capital share in Hotel Bellevue-Palace AG. Federal President Dr. Otto Stich accepts the donation on behalf of the Federal Council.
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2002
Renovation of all rooms for over 40 million Swiss Francs. The hotel closes on January 7th for a year, with limited ongoing restoration.
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2005
The Hotel Bellevue-Palace AG established a permanent building right and sold the hotel’s land to the Swiss Confederation.
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2006
Director Melchior Windlin passes away. Mr. Robert Näpflin takes over interim management. The Hotel Bellevue-Palace AG changes its name to Hotel Bellevue-Palace Immobilien AG, responsible for the ownership rights of the main shareholder.
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2007
Director Melchior Windlin passes away. Mr. Robert Näpflin takes over interim management. The Hotel Bellevue-Palace AG changes its name to Hotel Bellevue-Palace Immobilien AG, responsible for the ownership rights of the main shareholder.
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2008
Renovation of the Bellevue Bar and the installation of a small library.
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2009
Establishment of the BELLEVIE Gym on the hotel’s rooftop.
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2010
Various significant investments are made, leading to a 3-month summer closure. Construction and opening of the Fumoir adjacent to the Bellevue Bar, renovation of the kitchen and the entire basement, ventilation refurbishment in the lobby, and renovation of the glass dome in the hotel hall.
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2013
BELLEVUE PALACE celebrates its 100th birthday.
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2014
Healthcare group AEVIS takes the majority shares of the Victoria-Jungfrau Collection.
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2015
One hundred fifty years since the founding of the “old” Bellevue. The La Terrasse restaurant becomes Brasserie VUE.
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2017
The Swiss government acquires 100% of the shares of Bellevue Palace Immobilien AG, dissolving the company and transferring the hotel to the Federal Department of Buildings and Logistics (BBL).
The lease agreement between the Swiss Confederation and AEVIS-Victoria is extended.
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2018
Complete renovation of the “Münz” addition and reopening of the Orangerie. Construction of the NOUMI restaurant in the basement, with direct access from Kochergasse, which opens on January 9, 2019.
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2020
The COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdown forced the hotel to close from March 18th to June 1st.
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2021
The second wave of COVID-19 in November 2020 led to further closures from January 3rd to March 1st, 2021. Worldwide travel comes to a standstill.
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2022
Recovery of international tourism and the return of international guests.
Today, BELLEVUE PALACE is managed by MICHEL REYBIER HOSPITALITY, which belongs to the Aevis-Victoria Group.