The Federal capital of Switzerland, Bern was founded in 1191 and is mainly populated with Germanic speakers. The Aare river cuts the city of nearly 140,000 people in two but was born on a Unesco-protected peninsula that gives the river its characteristic bend. That land is part of the Swiss plateau formed during the ice age. Bears roamed the countryside and eventually made their way on the coat of arms, which sits at top of the cover, climbing an Alp presumably. A standard Swiss grid covers the whole with a snowflake-like core. An added Swiss cross sits at the center. The manufacturer’s mark /B/G/S/ commands the southern part of the cover with dates of the city’s establishment and governmental declaration on either side in lieu of standard cover specifications. For another frame of reference, as it were, Einstein famously wrote his Theory of Relativity here while working for the Patent office. Also found in the Switzerland manhole Coaster series.