The Waisenhausplatzis a plaza 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 on the edge of the Innere Neustadt which was built during the second expansion from 1255 to 1260, though the plaza wasn't built until later. It is on the north of the peninsula, and divided from Bärenplatz

Bärenplatz

The Bärenplatz is a plaza in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is part of the Innere Neustadt which was built during the second expansion from 1255 to 1260. It is located north of Bundesplatz, west of Käfigturm and south of Waisenhausplatz...

 by Marktgasse

Marktgasse

The Marktgasse is one of the streets in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is part of the Innere Neustadt which was built during the 13th Century. It runs from the Käfigturm between Waisenhausplatz and Bärenplatz in the west to the Zytglogge between...

. 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

Waisenhausplatz was first used to describe three formerly separate plazas in the 19th Century. The southern portion (Nr. 2-14) was built over the ditch in front of the second city wall in the 16th Century. Originally known as Viehmarkt (Cattle Market), then Holzmarkt (Wood Market), later as Weinplatz (Wine Plaza) and finally in the 18th and 19th Centuries as Schweinemarkt (Pork Market). The middle section of Waisenhausplatz (Nr. 16-28) was also built over the protective ditch, the Tachnaglergraben, and was known as Zeughausplatz (Armory

Armory (military)

An armory or armoury is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...

Plaza). The northern section (Nr. 29/30) was built in 1784 and was always known as Waisenhausplatz.