Federal Mint

About the building

On Bernastrasse in the Kirchenfeld district, close to the Federal Archives and the National Library, stands a building of light red brick with pale stone dressings. Behind its representative facade Switzerland's coins are made: since 1906 this has been the home of the Federal Mint, which has been called Swissmint since 1998.

The federal state introduced the franc in 1850 but at first had no mint of its own; the first coins came from France. From 1855 the federal government used the former Bernese mint on the Gerberngraben. When that became too small, it bought a plot in the Kirchenfeld from the Berne Land Company in 1902. After almost three years of construction the new building was finished in May 1906, and on 2 July 1906 the Federal Council took it over. The old building was demolished in 1911; part of the Hotel Bellevue Palace now stands on its site.

The architect is given as Theodor Gohl, who from 1892 to 1910 was chief architect of the Directorate of Federal Buildings. The city's building inventory names the directorate itself as author. The complex encloses an inner courtyard: the administrative wing, under a mansard roof, faces Bernastrasse, while the other three wings contain the workshops.

The main front has seven bays and a strongly projecting centre. Above a plinth of St-Triphon limestone opens a rusticated round-arched portal, and above it colossal columns carry a segmental pediment with a coat of arms. Look closely: coin images appear in the medallions beside the portal and in the frieze under the eaves; according to Wikipedia the medallions are by the sculptor Giuseppe Chiattone. On the workshop wings, expressive masks decorate the string course, and the upper panels of the window grilles already show luxuriant Art Nouveau forms.

Until 1930 the mint was also responsible for postage stamps, which were printed here until 1966. It made its own coin blanks until 1967; the striking dies are still produced in-house. The building is a cultural property of national significance. In 2007 the facade was renewed: weathered sandstone parts were replaced following the original models, and the roof was covered with natural slate.

Researched and summarised by Bärn Kit. Sources: Bauinventar der Stadt Bern: Bernastrasse 28 · KGS-Inventar (Text GSK-Kunstführer): Eidgenössische Münzstätte, KGS 619 (Archivkopie) · Wikipedia (de): Swissmint · Wikipedia (de): Theodor Gohl · Wikidata: Q27037187