Basel is located on the banks of the Rhine in a picturesque valley between the Jura mountains of the Black Forest. The city is a large industrial and commercial center of Switzerland. Due to the proximity of the river, trade has always been brisk here, and intercultural ties have been actively developing. In the 15th century, Pope Pius II founded the University of Basel, which made the city one of the important centers of European education.
The main attractions are located in the historical center around the Market Square. There are convenient walking routes for tourists. While walking along them, you can fully enjoy the beauty of urban architecture. Basel is also famous for its incredible number of interesting museums, where the treasures of world art are kept.
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What to see and where to go in Basel?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Basel town hall
The first building of the city council adorned Basel's central square in 1290, but in the middle of the 14th century it could not withstand an earthquake. The new town hall was erected in 1513 of red brick in the late Gothic style. Later, an outbuilding and a tower were added to the structure. Today, the city hall and the authorities of the canton of Basel-Stadt sit in the town hall. The walls of one of the halls were painted by the great artist Hans Holbein (the Younger).
Basel Cathedral
The history of the temple began in the 7th century with a small wooden church. In the 10th century, at the behest of Bishop Adalbert II, a stone building began to be erected. Until 1500, the cathedral was destroyed and rebuilt several times, so only a small part of the architecture of the Early Middle Ages survived. In 1529, as a result of the victory of the supporters of the Reformation, the temple passed into the hands of Protestants and since then it has been considered Calvinistic.
Tinguely fountain
The fountain was created by the sculptor Jean Tinguely, who worked in an unusual manner of "metamechanics". The structure consists of several metal figures made from the props that survived the local theater fire. The behavior of the fountain is surprising, as is the creativity of its creator. It can suddenly spray people passing by or release an impressive cloud of small droplets into the atmosphere.
Jean Tinguely Museum
J. Tinguely is a sculptor, innovator and passionate admirer of kinetic art. The museum named after him displays amazing creations that the master has created over 40 years of his creative path. Almost all the exhibits move, creak, hum and seem quite "alive". Through his creations, J. Tinguely tried to draw people's attention to the problem of humanizing machines and the mechanization of man.
Basel art museum
The museum houses the largest collection of paintings in Switzerland. It is also known for exhibiting the outstanding Holbein collection. In addition to paintings by representatives of this famous family, in the gallery you can admire the canvases of Van Gogh, Cézanne, Gauguin, Rembrandt and Rubens. The second floor of the museum displays works of art of the 20th century, among which there are works by Dali and Picasso.
"Paper factory"
A museum housed in a former paper mill. The factory opened more than 500 years ago. At that time, she provided almost all of Western Europe with paper. During a walk through the museum, tourists will see a carefully recreated interior, printing presses and other equipment. At some of the exhibits, visitors themselves can try to print something using medieval technology.
Museum "World of toys"
The Basel Toy Museum contains unique collections of dolls, teddy bears (there are more than 6 thousand of them here!), Toy houses, furniture and dishes. Interesting exhibits come here from all over the world. The meeting will be interesting for families with children and just fans of the "toy" theme. Younger visitors can move around the halls on horses equipped with wheels.
Natural History Museum
The Basel Natural Science Museum has an exposition that tells about the history of our planet. There are skeletons of fossil animals and samples of rare minerals. The geological past of the Earth, the diversity of its flora and fauna, the secrets of the processes taking place in the depths of the Earth are revealed to the visitors. Much can be learned about the formation of the earth's landscape and atmosphere.
Basel Museum of Antiquities
The collection is entirely dedicated to the antique art of the Mediterranean. It displays artifacts belonging to Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Middle Eastern cultures. In a separate room, there are copies of famous antique sculptures. The museum was founded in 1961 with funds from sponsors of the arts. His funds were formed at the expense of donated private collections.
Historical Museum
Part of the collection is located in the building of the VIII century Gothic church in the center of the city - a picturesque architectural monument of the Early Middle Ages. The temple has undergone two large-scale restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries. It houses precious items from Basel Cathedral, a collection of tapestries, coins, weapons and furniture. One of the branches of the museum is occupied by the House by the Cherry Orchard, a city palace built in the 18th century.
St. Paul's Church
Temple on the banks of the Rhine, built in the neo-Romanesque style at the beginning of the 20th century. The front facade of the building is decorated with a rose-shaped stained-glass window, the triangular roof is crowned with a statue of the Archangel Michael with a defeated dragon. The dial is located on the high bell tower. Despite the fact that by European standards the temple was erected relatively recently, it looks like a real medieval church.
Church of St. Elizabeth
The first Protestant temple erected in Switzerland after the victory of the Reformation. The church was built with funds that after his death bequeathed to Basel, a wealthy city dweller K. Merian. There was so much money that the authorities did not skimp on expensive materials. The grandiose spire of the church bell tower is larger than the cathedral tower.
Spalentor gate
In the XIV-XV centuries, the gate was part of a fortified wall that encircled Basel and served as a reliable defense against enemies. The structure consists of two round side towers and a central square tower with a pyramidal roof. On the façade there are figures of the Virgin Mary and the Apostles, as well as lions holding the city coat of arms in their paws. In past centuries, merchants from Alsace entered Basel through the Spalentor gate.
Roche tower
An urban skyscraper in the form of an incomplete stepped pyramid, diluting the cityscape of Basel with its futuristic look. It impresses with its impressive size and design unusual for this area. The tower houses the headquarters of the pharmaceutical company Roche Holding. There is also a museum and an observation deck in the building, from where you can see the surroundings. Roche Tower is currently the tallest building in Switzerland.
Basel-Badischer-Bahnhof
Basel city station. Interestingly, most of it belongs to Germany. The station is operated by Deutsche Bahn AG, a German railway company. There was even a checkpoint inside the station before the abolition of the borders between Switzerland and the European Union. The platforms, aprons and part of the tunnel are located in Germany, while the shops in the lobby use the Swiss franc.
Basel SBB
Another "not quite Swiss station" in Basel. The fact is that part of the station is owned by France and is operated by SNCF - French Railways. Basel SBB serves all types of routes: commuter, domestic and international.The building was built in 1954. 50 years later, it was completely reconstructed, giving the facade features of the neo-baroque style. Basel SBB is considered one of the busiest stations in Switzerland.
Stadium "St. Jakob Park"
The modern arena, which hosted the matches of the European football championship in 2008. Also in 2016, the final match of the Europa League between Liverpool and Sevilla took place here. The stadium was built in 2001 to replace the old Yoggeli. Especially for the beginning of the European Championship 2008 "St. Jakob Park" was reconstructed, equipped with more modern equipment. Today, the stands can accommodate over 38 thousand people.
Botanical Garden of the University of Basel
Basel Garden is one of the oldest in the world. It appeared at the end of the 16th century. At first, exclusively medicinal plants for research purposes were planted in it, later decorative specimens began to appear. By the 19th century, the garden had occupied a vast area on Schönbeinstrasse. Guided tours are organized for visitors to the garden; children are offered a thematic walk accompanied by a guide.
Zoo "Lange Erlen"
The first inhabitants of the zoo were a pair of black swans, which were brought to Basel from Australia in 1871. Until the 2000s, only birds and deer lived here; after 2007, the diversity of species has expanded significantly. The Lange Erlen is part of an extensive recreation area that includes forests and meadows within the city limits of Basel. Local underground sources provide residents with 50% of drinking water.
Basel Zoo
The main city zoo, located on 12 hectares of land in the heart of Basel. The enclosures for animals are designed in such a way that the latter can decide for themselves when to show themselves to people and when to hide from prying eyes. Because of this, visitors spend more time in the menagerie and get real pleasure from observing four-legged animals. Basel Zoo is considered one of the best in Europe.
