The City of Bern, founded in 1191 and first mentioned in a document in 1208, grew to become the biggest aristocratic city-state north of the Alps and a major power in the Old Swiss Confederacy. The present-day extent of Bern included the cantons of Bern, Vaud and large parts of Aargau.Since 1848, Bern has been the Federal City (capital) of Switzerland.