Climbing rock

History of the work

In the bear pit on the right bank of the Aare, opposite the old town, lie large uncut sandstone blocks piled up into a rock on which the bears climb. The City of Bern lists this 'Kletterfels' (Climbing Rock) as a work by the sculptor Gunter Frentzel from 1995 and 1996; besides the sandstone it names gravel-sand and concrete as materials. According to the city's building inventory, climbing hills with caves made of large sandstone blocks were built into both pits during the rebuilding of those years.

The rebuilding was meant to improve the keeping of the animals. According to Bern's zoo, the complex, protected as a monument of national rank, underwent a thorough renovation between 1994 and 1996; the building inventory gives 1995 and the architect Andreas Furrer. The pit itself dates from 1856/57 and was built by the master builder Friedrich Tschiffeli for the city: two elliptical pits divided by a wall, and a small Neo-Gothic building with turrets and battlements that originally concealed the keeper's house. Before that, Bern's bears had lived in several places in the city since the 16th century, first on today's Bärenplatz.

Since October 2009 the bears have also had the bear park of about 6,000 square metres on the slope down to the Aare; voters had clearly approved its construction in 2007. According to Wikipedia, the large pit is still part of the enclosure: the animals are kept there briefly when the park is cleaned or food is put out. The small pit is open to visitors.

According to SIKART, Gunter Frentzel was born in Berlin on 14 July 1935. The lexicon describes him as a sculptor who made spatial installations of metal and stone and also used laser beams.

Since, according to the inventory, climbing hills were built into both pits, it is worth looking into the small pit as well, which is now open to visitors.

Researched and summarised by Bärn Kit. Sources: Kultur Stadt Bern, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum (offene Daten) · Bauinventar Stadt Bern: Grosser Muristalden 4 (Bärengraben) · Tierpark Bern: Bern and bears · Wikipedia (de): Bärenpark Bern · SIKART: Gunter Frentzel · Wikimedia Commons: Sandsteininstallation Bärengraben (Gunter Frentzel 1996)