The capital of Switzerland is BERN, which is also known as BERNE. It is the second most populous city in Switzerland and is the de facto capital of the country. The city is located in the canton of BERN and is the seat of the Swiss federal government. The city is also home to the University of BERN, one of the oldest universities in Europe. Other major cities in Switzerland include Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and Lausanne. The canton of Valais is home to the city of SION, which is the capital of the canton.