Thun, the gateway to the Bernese Oberland, is a city full of magic, where history and nature intertwine to create a fabulous experience. Nestled between the glittering Lake Thun and the majestic Alps, every corner of this city tells of times long past and mysterious legends.
Thun Castle towers high above the city, its towers watching over the roofs since the 12th century. Anyone who walks through the Knights' Hall enters a time when nobles demonstrated power and merchants did business on the paths beneath the keep. Another place steeped in history is the town church, which seems to touch the sky with its octagonal tower - a silent witness to centuries-old stories.
The Obere Hauptgasse is like a scene from a fairy tale: houses with colourful facades, mysterious raised sidewalks and hidden passageways that give the impression that an old legend could come to life here at any time. Equally fascinating is the town hall, whose walls have guided the city's fortunes for centuries - a place where decisions were made that still have an impact today.
Things get mystical at the locks of the Aare, where the water rushes through centuries-old canals and has always supplied the city with its power. If you let yourself be carried away by this magic, you will reach Mühleplatz, once a center of craftsmanship, today a lively meeting place on the water, where the stories of the past mingle with the pulsating life of the present.
Another architectural gem is the Thunerhof, a relic of the Belle Époque that once housed nobles and travelers from all over the world. Its ornate ceilings, artistic stained glass and magnificent staircases whisper of times gone by when lavish parties were held here.
For a fairytale escape into the countryside, the Aarequai beckons, a promenade that stretches along the water and offers a breathtaking panorama of Lake Thun and the Bernese Alps. The path leads to Schadau Castle, which, with its romantic architecture and extensive park, seems to have come straight out of a fairy tale. Not far from there is the Scherzligen Church, a spiritual place of power with ancient frescoes that tell an almost forgotten story.
Anyone who wants to embark on a journey into the depths of time should visit Bonstetten Park, which not only enchants with its natural beauty, but was also a place of secret meetings and brave resistance fighters.
Thun is much more than a city - it is a place full of mysteries and legends, where the past and present magically merge. Anyone who immerses themselves in this fairytale town will hardly be able to escape its magic.
Fulehung
When the early mists still lie over the streets of Thun and the city awakens in twilight grey, a hunt begins that goes back to an ancient story – the legend of Fulehung.
The story goes that after the Battle of Murten in 1476, the victorious Thuners made a very special catch: the court jester of Charles the Bold. This jester had previously mocked the Thuners with derisive words and insulted their honor. But now the tables turned. He was chased around the streets of Thun until his strength failed him. It was a late but resounding revenge on the one who had made fun of them.
Over the centuries, this episode became a legend, and the figure of the fool became a permanent feature of Thun's cityscape. Originally known as Bajass, he first appeared at the traditional Ausschiesset in 1855. But it was not until 1864 that he was given the infamous devil mask, which made him unforgettable from then on. The epidemic years between 1880 and 1885 forced the Fulehung to take a break - and when he returned, he was only referred to as "Fulehung" - the lazy, loitering fool.
But this name is misleading, because if you want to chase the Fulehung, you have to be quick! Even today, Ausschiesset Monday begins at dawn with his appearance on the town hall square. The crowds call out to him "Fulehung, Fulehung!" and "Fulehung, Souhung!" while he energetically fends off his pursuers with his Söiplaatere - a stick with a pig's bladder. But he is not just an angry rogue: he gives the children of the city sweets and free rides on the carousel as he winds his way through the narrow streets and hidden paths of Thun, always on the run from the cheering crowds.
His ancient mask, a relic from forgotten times, has been renewed over the centuries, but its true age remains a mystery. The original mask now rests safely in storage, while the Fulehung now wreaks havoc with a lighter copy.
So the Fulehung in Thun remains not just a figure from the past, but a living legend. Year after year he roams the city as if the old court jester of Charles the Bold still had to flee - hunted by the descendants of those who once captured him. And perhaps, so whispers through the dark alleys, he really is a ghost of the old days who can never find peace.
