The Rathausgasse is one of the streets in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. It is part of the Zähringerstadt

Zähringerstadt

The Zähringerstadt is a historic section in the Old City of Bern in Bern, Switzerland.The first expansion of Bern occurred as the city was founded in 1191. This central and oldest neighbourhood was known as the Zähringerstadt after the founder, Duke Berthold V of Zähringen...

 which was built during the foundation of the city in 1191. It runs from the transverse Kreuzgasse, where the name changes to Postgasse

Postgasse

The Postgasse is one of the streets in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is part of the Zähringerstadt which was built during the foundation of the city in 1191. It runs from Nydeggstalden near the Aare river in the east to the transverse Kreuzgasse, where the...

 to Kornhausplatz

Kornhausplatz

The Kornhausplatz is a plaza in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is on the edge of the Zähringerstadt which was built during the founding of the city in 1191, though the plaza wasn't built until later. It is located near the Kornhausbrücke and the Zytglogge...

. It is part of the UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

 Cultural World Heritage Site

World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...

that encompasses the Old City.

History

Starting in 1300, the street that would become Rathausgasse and Postgasse was known as Hormansgasse or Hormatsgasse. The Horman family, the origin of the name, lived in Bern from 1224-1326. Since 1619 the upper section (now Rathausgasse) was known as Metzgergasse (Butcher's Lane), while the lower section was first called Postgasse in 1798. From 1880 until 1975 Rathausgasse was the name of just the northern section of Kreuzgasse. The upper section of what would become Rathausgasse 82 and 84 were known before the 19th Century as Nägeligässli and in the 19th Century as Statthaltergässli. Since 1898 those two houses became part of the Metzgergasse. Then, on 1 November 1971, Metzgergasse was renamed to Rathausgasse.