History and architecture
The Library Am Guisanplatz BiG was originally founded in 1848. It has been located in the east wing of the Federal Palace for over a century, before moving to its current location on Guisanplatz in 2005.
History
A library for the Military Department was established in 1848 at the instigation of General Henri Dufour. This became the Federal Military Library in 1865. Access to this library was mainly restricted to staff officers until 1889, when it was opened to all officers in the Swiss Armed Forces. On the recommendation of an officer, students and civil servants were also granted access. From 1892, the Federal Military Library was based in the east wing of the Federal Palace for over a century, before moving to its current location on Guisanplatz in 2005.
As part of a reorganisation of the Federal Administration, the Federal Council decided in 2006 to dissolve 44 federal and military libraries and documentation centres in and around Bern, and merge them under the umbrella of the Federal Military Library.
A year later, as a direct consequence, this library was transformed into the Library Am Guisanplatz BiG – the principal library of the Federal Administration and the Swiss Armed Forces.
Architecture
The neo-Renaissance style library building was built in 1893 as a clothing store and washhouse for the Federal Armoury. The building was extensively renovated in 2004/05 on behalf of the Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (FOBL), and now houses the Library Am Guisanplatz. This listed building is a prominent feature of the Breitenrain neighbourhood of Bern.
The rooms at the library are named after well-known Swiss personalities who have contributed to its development and collections, or who have made a significant contribution to society. Among these are two meeting rooms that can be reserved.
- Guillaume-Henry Dufour
- Georg Heberlein
- Charles-Félix Keller
- Hans-Rudolf Kurz
- Frédéric de Mülinen
- Annemarie Schwarzenbach
- Else Züblin-Spiller