Why Switzerland Technically Doesn’t Have a Capital

How Bern Isn’t Officially a Capital

Reading Time:     4 Min.
Publication:         November 20, 2025, Jonathan Schönholzer

Most people refer to Bern as Switzerland’s capital. It’s where the federal parliament meets, where the government offices are located, and where foreign embassies set up shop. But here’s the twist: Switzerland, as a country, has never officially designated a capital city. Not in its constitution, not in federal law, not in any binding document. So why is that?

A Country Built on Decentralization

The story begins with Switzerland’s unique political culture. Switzerland is famously decentralized, a principle rooted deeply in its history as a confederation of semi-autonomous regions (cantons). These cantons joined together gradually, negotiating collective agreements while still preserving a high degree of independence. When the modern Swiss state took shape in the 19th century, this tradition of avoiding overly centralized power shaped just about every important decision, including the question of a capital city.

After the Sonderbund War in 1847 and the adoption of the 1848 Federal Constitution, the newly structured federal government needed a seat. Several cities put themselves forward: Zürich, Lucerne, and Bern all hoped to become the political center. But Swiss leaders were wary of consolidating too much authority in one place. Declaring an official, permanent capital felt too symbolically centralized for a nation built on balance and neutrality.

Bern as the “Federal City” – A Compromise Solution

So instead of making Bern the capital, the Swiss parliament designated it as the “Bundesstadt,” or Federal City, a compromise that effectively made Bern the administrative seat without granting it the political weight or symbolic title of capital. This solution satisfied concerns about centralization while giving the government a practical home.

The distinction is more than just a linguistic quirk. Many countries embed their capital into their constitution, Washington, D.C.; Paris; Tokyo; Ottawa. Switzerland does not. Its constitution specifies what the federal government can do, how the cantons relate to each other, and how direct democracy works, but it never actually names a capital city. Instead, Bern functions as the de facto capital. The parliament meets there, the Federal Council works there, and foreign ambassadors present their credentials there. Yet legally, Switzerland could, at least theoretically, move the government to another city without needing a constitutional amendment.

Why This Unusual Arrangement Works

Why does this matter? For one, it underscores Switzerland’s ultra-federalist structure. Swiss identity is shaped by collaboration among different linguistic, cultural, and regional groups. Not elevating one city above all others helps maintain a sense of balance. Zürich may be the financial center, Geneva the diplomatic hub, and Lausanne the academic powerhouse, but no single city carries the symbolic dominance of being the capital.

It also highlights Switzerland’s pragmatic, understated approach to governance. When Swiss politicians debated the seat of government in the 19th century, they chose a workable solution instead of a grandiose declaration. That practicality still shows: the country operates smoothly without ever having had to formalize what most of the world simply assumes.

So while you can comfortably tell travelers that Bern is Switzerland’s capital, because functionally, it is, the technical truth is far more Swiss: there is no official capital at all, just a Federal City that quietly gets the job done.

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