Sankt Peter und Paul Kirche (Church of St. Peter and Paul), Bern

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Bern stands as a significant Christian Catholic edifice and a Cultural Property of National Significance. This church has a historical backdrop dating back to the Protestant Reformation in the early 16th century. During this period, Bern embraced Protestantism, and its churches were converted accordingly, leaving the Catholic populace without a place of worship. This absence persisted for centuries until the political shifts following the French invasion of Switzerland in 1798.

The foundation for the Church of Saints Peter and Paul was laid in 1858, marking it as the first Catholic church to be built in Bern since the Reformation. It was constructed on the historical site of the Saint Johannsen granary, itself built over the remnants of a mint that was destroyed by fire in 1787. The church's design, influenced by Romanesque and French cathedral Gothic styles, was the work of architects H Marchal and Pierre-Joseph Edmond Deperthes. The construction, overseen by Emmanuel Müller, spanned from 1858 and concluded in 1864, with the inaugural mass celebrated on November 13, 1864.

Over the years, the church has undergone several renovations to maintain its structure and aesthetic appeal, notably the renovation of the bell tower and south facade from 1965 to 1967, along with subsequent refurbishments. Today, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul not only serves as a religious site but also as a historical monument, reflecting the complex religious and cultural transformations within Bern and Switzerland.