Basel ( BAH-zəl; German: [ˈbaːzl̩] ), also known as Basle (English: BAHL), is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's third most populous city (after Zurich and Geneva), with 177,595 inhabitants within the city municipality limits.
Basel is commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerland and the city is famous for its many museums, including the Kunstmuseum, which is the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world (1661) and the largest museum of art in Switzerland, the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen), the Museum Tinguely and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is the first public museum of contemporary art in Europe. Forty museums are spread throughout the city-canton, making Basel one of the largest cultural centres in relation to its size and population in Europe. It is the hometown of Art Basel, the world's most prestigious and influential international art fair, showcasing modern and contemporary works from leading galleries and attracting top collectors, artists, and enthusiasts globally.
The University of Basel, Switzerland's oldest university (founded in 1460), and the city's centuries-long commitment to humanism, have made Basel a safe haven at times of political unrest in other parts of Europe for such notable people as Erasmus of Rotterdam, the Holbein family, Friedrich Nietzsche, Carl Jung, and in the 20th century also Hermann Hesse and Karl Jaspers.
Basel was the seat of a Prince-Bishopric starting in the 11th century, and joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1501. The city has been a commercial hub and an important cultural centre since the Renaissance, and has emerged as a centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in the 20th century. In 1897, Basel was chosen by Theodor Herzl as the location for the first World Zionist Congress, and altogether the congress was held there ten times over a time span of 50 years, more than in any other location. The city is also home to the world headquarters of the Bank for International Settlements. The name of the city is internationally known through institutions like the Basel Accords, Art Basel and FC Basel.
Basel is Switzerland's main centre for the pharmaceutical industry, hosting both Novartis and Roche. In 1938, the world-renowned chemist Albert Hofmann discovered LSD in Basel, where he spent most of his life. The discovery is celebrated internationally as Bicycle Day. Other influential and renowned figures such as Roger Federer, Paracelsus, Matthäus Merian, Michel von Tell and Stephan Remmler are closely associated with the city or were born there. In 1734, the so-called 'Basel Problem' was solved in the city, which is regarded as one of the most important achievements in mathematics.
The official language of Basel is German, but the main spoken language is Basel German, the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect.
Basel was ranked the tenth most liveable city in the world by Mercer in 2019.
One of Switzerland's underrated tourist destinations, Basel has a beautiful medieval old town centre, a fascinating carnival, and several world class art museums built by architects like Renzo Piano, Mario Botta and Herzog & De Meuron. Basel is also rich in architecture old and new, with a Romanesque Münster (cathedral), a Renaissance Rathaus (town hall), and various examples of high quality contemporary architecture, including more buildings by Herzog & De Meuron, Richard Meier, Diener & Diener, and various others.
Located in the Dreiländereck (three countries' corner), Basel is a gateway to the Swiss Jura mountains and nearby cities of Zürich and Lucerne, as well as the neighbouring French region of Alsace and the German Black Forest. There are a number of things to see and do if you have a few days to spend.
This town of almost 180,000 people (2021) lies in the north-western corner of Switzerland. The town shares borders with France and Germany and is the heart of this tri-national region - the Dreiländereck (three countries' corner). Besides its own attractions it can serve as a good entry point to the Alsace, Black Forest regions or the canton of Basel-Land.
The Rhine curves through the city and divides the town into two parts. Situated on the south and west bank is Grossbasel (Great Basel) with the medieval old town at its centre. Kleinbasel (Little Basel), featuring much of the night-life, is on the north bank.
Visiting Basel can be a holiday for your vocal cords if you plan to absorb the beautiful art in silence exhibited in the many first-rate museums. Once a year it also hosts Art | Basel (see Do) which is the world's premier fair for modern classics and contemporary art.
Basel has one of the most amazing carnivals you're likely to see, called Fasnacht. If you're there during the "three loveliest days" of the year, prepare to be amazed, and don't expect to be able to sleep. (See Do, Festivals).
Basel sits on a tri‑national bend of the Rhine, a fact that makes its daily life feel less like a Swiss town and more like a European micro‑metropolis. A short walk across the river drops you into the French Alsace town of Huningue, where the café culture swaps crisp Swiss chocolate pastries for buttery pretzels and a glass of Riesling. The border is porous enough that locals routinely shop for groceries, attend concerts, or meet friends on the other side, yet the differing tax regimes give each side its own subtle flavour – from cheaper wine in France to higher‑priced Swiss watches. This fluidity fosters a bilingual street‑sign etiquette and a culinary mash‑up that is impossible to capture in guidebooks focused on a single nation.
Beyond its recognised art scenes, Basel quietly nurtures a network of workshops that trace the city’s industrial lineage from textile mills to cutting‑edge pharma labs. The annual Art Basel fair is only the tip of an iceberg that includes smaller, invitation‑only showcases in refurbished factory lofts where designers test‑run prototypes in real time. Visitors with a curiosity for craftsmanship can arrange tours of the historic Löwendenkmal printing press or the Roche headquarters' public exhibition space, where the latest biotech advances are displayed as kinetic installations. These encounters reveal a city where creation is a civic duty, and where the line between art and engineering is deliberately blurred.
BaselTourismus, +41 61 268 68 68, the local tourist information service, has several offices, including at the main station, Bahnhof SBB, and in the city centre, in the Stadtcasino building at Barfüsserplatz, directly across the street from McDonald's. To organize guided tours, you can also visit the office at Aeschenvorstadt 36, +41 61 268 68 32.
Basel is a cosmopolitan city because of its university and industry and its proximity to the borders of France and Germany. The official language of the city is German, but the majority of the population speaks Baseldytsch, an Alemannic dialect, as their mother tongue. German is taught in schools and fluently spoken by virtually everyone, so if you speak German and they notice that you are a foreigner, they will most likely answer you in German. Also widely spoken are English and French, both of which many people are able to communicate in comfortably enough to deal with everyday interactions and will gladly work to understand you. Borrowed French words are fairly common in everyday conversation; for example, Baslers often bid each other farewell with the French "adieu". Basically, the average Basler understands and speaks fluent Baseldytsch, German, English, and often French.
If you enter Basel from France, remember the name is spelled "Bâle" in French. You may not find "Basel" on maps.
The best airports for Basel are the city's own EuroAirport, 4 km away, or Zurich airport 90 min away by train. Other options are Geneva, with excellent flight connections but 3 hours away by change of train, and Bern (1 hr) and Strasbourg (90 min) which have fewer flights.
1 EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL IATA, MLH, EAP) has flights to many cities in Europe, plus Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Morocco. English-speaking destinations are Bristol, Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, and several London airports. There are no flights within Switzerland as land travel times are short. Transat has summer flights to Canada, but there are otherwise no direct flights to North America; nor to the Gulf - so Zurich is better for Asia. As the airport sits near the convergence of three countries it has three IATA codes: BSL Basel, MLH Mulhouse, and (less often) EAP EuroAirport, so it may help flight search to try all three.
The airport lies in France, 4 km northwest of Basel - it's connected to the city and to Switzerland by a customs-free road. On arrival you either go through Swiss or French passport control and customs, into a small hall where you rejoin the people who went the other way. To reach the city:
Take bus 50 from the Swiss arrivals exit to Basel SBB main railway station (runs daily, takes 15 min). You'll need a two-zone ticket - buy it at the bus stop for Fr. 6.60 or equivalent in euros. This ticket is valid to anywhere in Basel, including transfer to trams. If you have a hotel booked in Basel, try showing your reservation to the driver, you might be allowed a free ride. Most hotels offer a free transport pass, which includes the airport bus, so the return to the airport will be taken care of.
Take bus 11 from the French arrivals exit to St Louis railway station and change to the commuter train to Basel main station. If you already have a trioregio local ticket, it covers this route.
Take a taxi. Or rent a car if you're exploring the region, but you won't want it in the city.
Flixbus runs directly from the airport to Zurich (4 per day, 1 hr 40 min), Freiburg Germany (12 per day, 1 hr) and Strasbourg (four per day, 2 hr 20 min).
Zurich Airport (ZRH IATA) has its own railway station, with direct trains at least hourly to Basel SBB, and other frequent connections via Zurich main station. The journey takes 90 min and a walk-up single adult fare is Fr.20. If you fly with Swiss, the national airline, you can through-book via Zurich to Basel: the connection is by train and the IATA code in Basel is ZDH IATA the railway station, not BSL the airport. You have flexibility over which train you take, and don't need a ticket, just a boarding pass (printed or mobile) that shows your barcode.
Basel has two main railway stations. Almost all trains run from 2 Basel SBB about 1 km south of city centre. Within Switzerland, SBB trains take just under an hour to Zurich and Bern, two per hour; there are good connections across the entire country. Paris is only three hours away via the TGVs of SNCF; change at Mulhouse for French regional connections. Direct trains also run to Strasbourg (1 hr 10 min) and Milan (4 hr 30 min). ICE trains into Germany follow the Rhine north via Karlsruhe to Frankfurt (3 hr), Cologne (4 hr), Hamburg (6 hr 30 min) and Berlin (7 hr). Direct ICE trains also depart from Amsterdam Centraal at 8:08 every day, and take about 6 hours and 30 minutes, also stopping at Utrecht Centraal. There are also sleeper trains once or twice nightly, taking 11 hours to Berlin or Hamburg, run by Nightjet, a subsidiary of Austrian ÖBB.
The trains into Germany also call at 3 Basel Badischer Bahnhof (abbreviated Basel Bad Bf), north of the river in Kleinbasel. However some regional trains to southern Germany start from Basel Bad and don't call at Basel SBB: these hug the border as far as Schaffhausen then follow the Danube to Ravensburg and Ulm.
When arriving from Germany via the A5 highway, you pass the border control near Weil am Rhein just outside Basel and enter the city via the same highway, now named A2/3 (you're in Switzerland), which passes north of the city centre and continues on to other Swiss cities, including Zürich, Berne, and Lucerne. To get to the city centre in Grossbasel (the larger section of the city) look for signs to Bahnhof SBB; if you want to arrive in Kleinbasel (the smaller part on the other bank of the Rhine), look for Messe Basel. Arriving from Zürich or central Switzerland, you are on the same A2/3 highway, just in the opposite direction - same exits. For parking in the city, see below Get around - By car.
If you drive into Basel, make sure you have a valid Vignette (toll sticker) if you drive on the Autobahn! The Vignette costs Fr. 40 and is valid for the calendar year indicated on the sticker. If you do not and are caught without one, expect to pay a fine of Fr. 100 plus the cost of a Vignette.
In summer cruise ships (various operators) sail the Rhine between Amsterdam and Basel. But these are scenic cruises taking 8 days to tour the cities along the way; they're not point-to-point ferries.
Flixbus operates long-distance buses from Basel SBB direct to Frankfurt (5-7 hr), Munich (6-9 hr), Cologne (8 hr), Hanover (10 hr), Hamburg (13 hr), Milan (5 hr 30 min), Brussels (9 hr), Paris (9 hr), Amsterdam (13 hr), and Rome (14 hr).
Twiliner buses take 11 hours from Amsterdam via Rotterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg, heading for Zurich. Their seats fold flat into a bunk: there's some disturbance from bumps in the road and noise at intermediate stops, but no worse than in a railway sleeping car, for similar comfort and half the price.
The Basel tramway has international lines to Saint Louis (Haut-Rhin) in France and Weil am Rhein in Germany.
This is the standard mode of travel for many within the city. Old Basel isn't very large and there are many narrow and winding side streets with incredible slopes.
The shopping streets in the old city are closed to car traffic. Tourists will walk a lot - and be pleased and impressed at every turn. But the walking can be a bit strenuous after a while, particularly when walking on cobblestone alleys in the old town, which can also get quite steep. Walking around Basel can be a real cardiovascular workout for some if you wander off the main streets - but it's the best way to experience the city.
Trams have the right of way over just about everyone - all the time. Keep an eye out for them as you cross a street, including on pedestrian crossings.
Basel has an extensive tram (light rail) and bus network. The bright green trams and buses are the greatest amenity you can imagine: absolutely prompt, relatively inexpensive, clean and very convenient. Each stop has maps of the public transport system and a listing of arrival times.
The 8 and 10 trams and the 38 and 55 buses cross international borders - bear this in mind for carrying goods and identification!
Tickets
Ticket Machines: Buy single tickets here, there is no vending inside the trams and buses. Every stop has one - bright green as the trams. They take both Swiss Francs and Euros. Some train station vending machines also sell tickets for trams and buses.
Inside the city limits, all destinations farther than 4 stops away are 1 Zone and cost Fr. 3.80. As long as you are travelling away from the stop where you got on, you can ride on the same ticket for as long as the ticket is valid. The fare for buses and trams is the same and transfers (changing) is free. There are also special buses that connect to nearby towns in France and Germany.
Mobility Pass: All hotels in Basel, including the youth hostel, offer each registered guest a free "Mobility Pass" upon check in. This gives free unlimited travel in Basel and suburbs (including to and from the airport) for the duration of their stay. This is easily worth the price of a lunch every day you stay. (If you have written confirmation of a hotel reservation you can also use this to travel from the railway station or airport to your hotel. At least one respected hotel in Basel advertises this fact on their web site.)
Day Pass: You can also buy one-day passes (Press "Tageskarten" then "Basel + Agglomeration" buttons on the touch-screen ticket machine) with the same validity as the "Mobility Pass" above (zones 10, 11, 13 und 15) for Fr. 9.90. There are also multi-trip tickets or multi-day tickets.
6-Trip One Zone Multi-Ticket (Mehrfahrtenkarte): 6 trips for the price of 5. Worth buying for a group or if you plan on spending more than a couple of days in Basel. Available at every kiosk in town and at ticket machines which have a credit card reader. Not significantly cheaper but it saves you having to fiddle around with change.
Halbtax-Abo: If you own a Halbtax-Abo (half-tariff card) issued by Swiss Railways SBB, you can buy half-tariff tram tickets as well. (The cost of the Halbtax-Abo is Fr. 150, worthwhile if you plan to spend more than Fr. 300 on Swiss train tickets during your trip or within one year - which can happen quite quickly).
Tram and bus travel is on the honour system. Nobody collects your ticket. Periodically, a number (4-8) of "tram police" (undercover agents) board a tram and quickly examine everyone's ticket before the next stop. If you don't have one, there is an on-the-spot fine of 80 Fr. Even in this exercise, there is efficiency - if you don't have cash available you'll be given the option to pay later at the office on Barfüsserplatz, but then it will cost you Fr. 100.
Handling trams and buses
To open the door from outside press the button near the door on newer (low floor) trams, or the orange lit button beside the door on older trams and buses. Inside, press a button on the door of the newer trams or the small black button on the grab rail near the door on older trams and buses, and the door will then open automatically as soon as the tram stops. Doors close automatically before the tram starts moving. Hold on! Trams accelerate quickly and brake quite abruptly. Upcoming stops are announced by a recorded voice in Standard German (as well as English and French at main stops) along with the numbers of connecting trams at that stop.
Trams change routes slightly at certain times of year (summer, Fasnacht). This will be signposted at stops, and usually also on the overhead screens that display departure times - see photo (look for a scrolling message highlighted with ***). If a tram is temporarily diverted because of an accident this is announced inside and at stops over PA - but in Swiss German: ask a fellow passenger or the driver if it's Greek to you.
Basel is a bicycle-friendly city, with many well-marked bicycle lanes throughout the city, and even traffic signals and left-hand turn lanes for bikes. While drivers are generally aware of bikers, be sure to use hand signals and ride defensively. Beware of the trams! If you are not careful, your wheels may also get stuck in the tram tracks and this can make you fly. Helmets are not required (although recommended), but lights and bells are. The Swiss are quite keen cyclists, so don't be surprised when an old lady goes flying past you on her bike while going uphill.
Besides local commuter bike lanes, there are specific bike trails that connect to other parts of Switzerland (via the Veloland Schweiz network, recommended for overland bicycling tours). These bike trails are indicated by signs at some intersections.
Bike rental
The most convenient option for the majority of short-term visitors wishing to cycle is the local bike-sharing system Velospot. Register on the website, get your method of payment verified, and you'll receive a PIN code tied to your account which can be used to lock and unlock the bright red bikes that can be found all over the city. As of September 2023, the standard tariff is Fr. 0.10/minute + Fr. 1.00 unlocking fee, but there are also daily, weekly and other concession passes. Daily cap for the standard tariff is Fr. 24.00 for traditional bikes and Fr. 48.00 for e-bikes. A bit oddly, there is no app and hence no QR code system common with other bike-sharing systems in Europe; use the map on the website to find bike stations. Bikes which are returned outside of stations attract a Fr. 20.00 penalty fee.
Alternatively, bikes can be rented locally from the Rent-a-Bike underground bike park, ☏ +41 51 229-2345, at Centralbahnplatz, underneath the Basel SBB railway station. This option may be better if you stay in Basel for longer, need more flexibility or you're after something other than a city bike.
You can be carried across the Rhine by Fähri, one of Basel's four small ferry boats, which, hanging at a steel rope, are silently drawn by the current between the two banks of the river. One river crossing costs Fr. 1.60 for adults and 0.80 for children. The most popular one may be the one that starts in Grossbasel just below the Münster.
Various day excursions up and down the Rhine, on large motor boats, are offered by Basler Personenschiffahrt, Reservations phone ☏ +41 61 639-9500. Boats depart from Schifflände, near the Grossbasel end of Mittlere Brücke.
Driving in Basel is not recommended for visitors, as inner city streets can be confusing - and are shared with trams (cars must yield to trams). Parking in the old city is relatively expensive and scarce. Most mid-range or luxury hotels have or help with parking. In addition, there is a network of clean, safe (and payable) public garages at the periphery of the city centre, generally open 24/7. If you stay for the day only and are driving via highway into Grossbasel, try Centralbahnparking near the SBB Station; if you're entering in Kleinbasel, try Parking Badischer Bahnhof, near the German railway station. Closer to the city centre in Grossbasel are Steinen Parking at Steinenschanze 5 and Elisabethen Parking, at Steinentorberg 5, and in Kleinbasel Messe Basel Parking at Messeplatz. A handy website with availability and driving directions to all public garages can be found here.
Basel Old Town is a compact, walkable area bounded to the north by the Rhine and to the south by the Zoo and SBB main railway station. There are many museums, some with a free opening hour at the end of the day.
1 Basler Münster (Basel Minster), Münsterplatz. Nov-Mar: M-Sa 11:00-16:00, Su 11:30-16:00; Apr-Oct: 10:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 11:30-17:00. Now a Reformed Protestant cathedral, it was built from 1019, badly damaged in an earthquake of 1356, and completed in 1500 in Romanesque & Gothic style. The Galluspforte (Gallus portal) on the western façade is a magnificent sculptural work. Figures carved on the main (south) façade include St. George slaying the Dragon. Inside, there's a sandstone lectern, and a crypt with tombs of early bishops of Basel; also buried here is Jacob Bernoulli, who discovered the mathematical constant e. You can climb either or both towers: St. Martin's is 62 m and St. George's is 65 m. Free; Fr. 6 to climb towers. (updated May 2025)
2 Elisabethenkirche, Elisabethenstrasse 14 (T-jcn with Henric Petri Strasse). M-Sa 09:00-19:00, Su 12:00-19:00. Protestant church completed in 1864 in neo-Gothic Revival style. Note the stone pulpit with wooden canopy. (updated May 2018)
A good start to a walking tour of the Old Town is Marktplatz, the market square. Lots of flowers, fresh fruit & veg, breads and pastries; Saturday mornings are the busiest. The Rathaus or Town Hall here is a beautifully renovated Renaissance palace. It's still in official use, but you can wander into the courtyard, or join a guided tour with Basel Tourismus.
Extra city walls were built after the great earthquake of 1356, and several gateways still stand around the city perimeter: Spalentor to the west, St. Alban Tor near Aeschenplatz to the east, and St. Johanns Tor to the north near the Rhine.
3 Kunstmuseum Basel (Fine Arts Museum), St. Alban-Graben 16 (city centre), ☏ +41 61 206 62 62. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Huge permanent collection of 19th and 20th century works, including a whole room of Picasso, and medieval and renaissance paintings from Holbein, Grien and others. Housed in two buildings: Hauptbau & Neubau.On the same ticket but in the separate Gegenwart building at St. Alban-Rheinweg 60 (10-minute walk from the main facility) is the Museum of Contemporary Art, open Tu-Su 11:00-18:00. Fr. 16 for all 3 buildings. (updated May 2018)
4 Kunsthalle Basel, Steinenberg 7 (city centre), ☏ +41 61 206 99 00. Tu W F 11:00-18:00, Th 11:00–20:30, Sa Su 11:00–17:00. No permanent collection, this is Basel's main non-commercial art space for changing contemporary art shows. Throughout the year, the Kunsthalle shows cutting edge international artists in meticulously curated shows. (updated May 2018)
5 Museum der Kulturen (Museum of Cultures), Münsterplatz 20, ☏ +41 61 266 56 00. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Ethnographic museum featuring exhibits from South America, Africa, East Asia and Oceania. The exhibits from the South Seas, Ancient America, Tibet and Bali are world-famous, as are its textiles. (updated May 2018)
6 Antikenmuseum Basel (Museum of Ancient Art and Ludwig Collection), St. Albangraben 5 (Across street from Kunstmuseum), ☏ +41 61 201 12 12. Tu W & Sa Su 11:00-17:00, Th F 11:00-22:00. Huge collection of antiquities: some Egyptian and Mesopotamian art, but mostly Greek art. Fr. 10. (updated May 2018)
7 Spielzeug Welten Museum (Toy World Museum), Steinenvorstadt 1 (jcn with Barfüsserplatz). Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. Colossal collection of teddy bears, dolls houses, puppets and other toys. Fr. 7; accompanied children to 16 free. (updated May 2018)
Bounding the Old Town to the north is the Rhine. The bridges give a good view, and a 3-km promenade stretches along the riverbank. The Faehri (ferry) plies along it - see "Getting Around". You can even take a dip in it if it's really hot, as many locals do (see "Do / Sports" and Stay safe).
Bring your passport, as even a short bus or tram ride may carry you out of the country. It's in the Schengen area, but security checks are always possible.
8 Museum Jean Tinguely, Paul Sacher-Anlage 1 (N bank of river, 1.5 km east of Mittlere Brücke, follow promenade; or bus no. 36), ☏ +41 61 681 93 20. Tu-Su 11:00-18:00. Enjoy the wacky animated mechanical artwork of Jean Tinguely (1925-1991), and other "kinetic" modern artists. The building was designed by Mario Botta, whose other museum buildings include the San Francisco MOMA. Another of his machine sculptures, the Fasnachtsbrunnen ("Carnival Fountain") can be seen on the plaza in front of Restaurant Kunsthalle on Steinenberg. There's more of his work in Fribourg, where he was born. Fr 18. (updated May 2018)
9 Basel Zoo, Binningerstrasse 40 (400 m west of main railway station), ☏ +41 61 295 35 35. Daily 08:00-17:30. Oldest and largest zoo in Switzerland. Have lunch watching the elephants and see the monkeys solving problems for food in the Monkey House. Fr. 21. (updated May 2018)
10 Fondation Beyeler, Temporary entrance via Bachtelenweg during 2018 (in Riehen 10 km E of centre, take tram no. 6), ☏ +41 61 645 97 00. Daily 10:00-18:00, W until 20:00. Elegant museum designed by Renzo Piano, housing the fabulous collection of art dealer Ernst Beyeler. Highlights of the permanent collection include works by Mark Rothko and a vast nymphéas (water lily) painting by Claude Monet. There's usually also temporary exhibitions, and see also Art Basel under "Events". Adults Fr. 28. (updated May 2018)
11 Laurenz-Stiftung Schaulager, Ruchfeldstrasse 19 (5 km south of centre, take tram 11), ☏ +41 61 335 32 32. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, Th to 20:00. Schaulager means "display-warehouse" and the building is a hybrid between a storage space, art history research centre, and museum, with changing temporary exhibitions. The core of it is the Emanuel Hoffmann Foundation's modern and contemporary art collection. The Foundation was created by heirs to the fortune of the pharmaceutical multinational Hoffmann-La Roche. Fr. 22. (updated May 2018)
12 Kunsthaus Baselland, St. Jakob-Strasse 170 Muttenz (2 km E of centre, take tram 14 from Barfüsserplatz to Schänzli), ☏ +41 61 3128388. Tu–Su 11:00–17:00. Changing exhibitions of contemporary art, particularly the Regionale, an annual platform for young artists from the "Three Countries' Corner". It also houses the BEWE Collection (donated by collectors Bruno and Elisabeth Weiss), which focuses on the oeuvre of two renowned Basel based modernist artist groups: Rot-Blau and Gruppe 33. Fr 12. (updated May 2018)
13 Vitra Design Museum, Charles-Eames-Str. 2, Weil am Rhein, Germany (east of Rhine 6 km from Basel centre: bus 55 from Basel), ☏ +49 7621 702 3200. Daily 10:00-18:00. Museum of furniture and lighting in three buildings. The main building (by Frank Gehry) hosts large exhibitions, and the Gallery smaller ones. The Schaudepot, opened in 2017, makes it possible to see the permanent collection. Other remarkable buildings on the Vitra campus (guided tour Tu-Su at 12:00 and 14:00, 2 hours, call ahead) are by Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Nicholas Grimshaw and Alvaro Siza. And yes, you exit through the gift shop: VitraHaus allows you to sample, order and purchase. €11, with Schaudepot €17. (updated May 2018)
14 Fernet Branca Musée d'Art Contemporain, Rue du Ballon 2, Saint-Louis, France (12 km west of Basel, take bus from Schifflände (near Mittlere Brücke) to Carrefour), ☏ +33 3 89691077. W-Su 13:00-18:00. Changing contemporary art exhibitions, see website for schedule. €8. (updated May 2018)
Basel is one of the major cities in Switzerland and offer all activities of an urban centre. Most popular is the Basel Carnival but the Basel ferry is the icon.
Basel ferry (behind Münster). The Basel Rhine ferry is an icon of the city and a visit to Basel without a ride on a ferry would be incomplete. It only takes two-three minutes but it offers a great view (during sunshine).
The Third Man. Chase The Third Man? While Carol Reed's classic post-war film noir actually takes place in Vienna, you can recreate its dark atmosphere by taking a guided tour of Basel's underground sewerage system (don't worry, this being Switzerland, it's not overly smelly). After entering a tunnel at Heuwaage, you follow the Birsig river underground to its estuary in the Rhine. The 1 hour 15 min tour ends at Restaurant Safran-Zunft in the city center, where you are taken up into the light again - and to tasty snacks. The tour requires a group to justify the somewhat high cost of Fr. 250 (per group, not person); you should either find like-minded folks or try to join an existing group. Contact the urban planning firm Lindenberg 3, ☏ +41 61 683 56 52, for details and reservation.
This is Basel's version of Carnival, and a premier event during the year, lasting for three straight days, beginning on the Monday following Ash Wednesday. Don't confuse it with the more raucous festivals in traditionally Catholic areas, such as the German Rhineland (Karneval) and Munich (Fasching), or Carnival in Rio or Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It can actually have a kind of somber feel, although with a distinct poetry and subtle humour, which you may learn to like. Many locals are dead-serious about it, often preparing their costumes and practising their skills on the traditional musical instruments (military drums and piccolo flutes) throughout most of the year. If you are not a Basler, avoid dressing up silly or putting on make-up, as this is neither customary nor appreciated by locals - who mostly prefer to stay among themselves for what many consider "the three loveliest days" of the year. But that's no reason to be discouraged (thousands of tourists aren't anyway), just have the right approach:
Fasnacht starts Monday morning with an eerie procession called Morgestraich: At precisely 04:00, street lights are turned off, and hundreds of traditional bands (cliquen), dressed up in elaborate costumes and masks (larven), parade through the densely packed streets of the old town. Arrive well in advance - and on foot - or you will not get through to the city centre. It's not recommended for the claustrophobic, although it is peaceful, despite the masses. Absolutely don't use flash photography! It ruins the atmosphere, marks you as a tourist and creates hundreds of instant enemies. Morgestraich lasts for about 2–3 hours, during which restaurants are open - if mobbed - and you can warm up with a traditional zibelewaie (a kind of quiche) and a mählsuppe (a soup made of sauteed flour). It's an acquired taste, so perhaps wash it down with a glass of white wine. Almost all of the restaurants mentioned in the Eat section below are open during Morgestraich - but perhaps don't choose McD. After Morgestraich, everyone goes home to get some hours of sleep - or sometimes to work, if you are a Basler.
There are similar parades, the cortège, by the cliquen on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, along a predetermined route through most of the inner city. The elaborate costumes and masks, and the large hand-painted lanterns (ladäärne), are the pride of each clique, and are often designed by a local artist. Each clique chooses a sujet, a motto that typically pokes fun at some (often local) political event of the past year and which is reflected in the costumes and lanterns. You don't need to understand the sujet to appreciate the beauty of the artistic renderings. The lanterns are also on display on Tuesday nights, at Münsterplatz. In the evenings, the cortège route is all but abandoned, and large and small cliquen roam through the smaller alleys of the old town (gässle). It is common for spectators who like the look or sound of one of the cliquen to follow it around on foot for a while. As the pace of the cliquen is a slow stroll, and as the music can be lovely, this may even be kind of romantic, particularly if you are holding hands with a date. But Fasnacht is nothing like Mardi Gras, so don't expect ladies baring their breasts. Overt sexuality is a no, and aggressive attempts at picking up are frowned upon, as is binge-drinking. Remember: it's an almost somber if poetic affair. Try to blend in with locals, perhaps express some friendly curiosity about a costume or a sujet when talking to someone, and you are likely to have a much better time.
Tuesday is the day of the children, and of the Guggemusig, noisy brass bands that intentionally play off key. On Tuesday night at 22:00, dozens of these bands play on two stages, at Claraplatz and Barfüsserplatz. This is the one day where things get much merrier, particularly in the more proletarian neighbourhoods of Kleinbasel, where many of the Guggemusige have their home.
Chienbäse. Combine Fasnacht with the amazing fire spectacle of Chienbäse parade in nearby town of Liestal, capital of the neighboring canton Basel-Landschaft (15 minutes by train from the SBB Station), which starts at 19:15 on the Sunday evening preceding Morgestraich. Locals clad in (kind of) fireproof garb parade through the narrow and spectator-lined streets of the town, carrying large burning wooden brooms (bäse) above their heads. Other groups are drawing iron carts with huge bonfires - which they even rush through some of the old town gates, as the flames lick the structures above. There are a number of inconclusive interpretations of this pagan-seeming custom but, again, you don't necessarily need to understand any of them to appreciate the eerie and even mildly threatening beauty of the parade.
Fasnachtsbummel. The three Sunday afternoons following Fasnacht, the cliquen tour the countryside and small towns around Basel and return to Basel for a final large evening parade - the bummel (lit. stroll). No costumes, just music.
Art | Basel Mid-June. Co-founded by gallery owner Ernst Beyeler (see Beyeler Foundation) in the late 1960s, this is the world's premier fair for modern and contemporary art. Another event that seems to all but double the population of the city. The five day fair attracts major galleries and wealthy art collectors from around the world. ArtBasel showcases works by virtually every important artist from the late 19th century up to red hot trendsetters. Concurrently with Art | Basel, three other contemporary arts fairs are held in Basel each year, Liste, Voltashow and Hot Art. Liste and Voltashow feature international but generally younger and less established artists from around the globe, while Balelatina focuses on art from Latin America. All three "little sister" fairs tend to make room for (somewhat) more affordable artists than Art | Basel. Competition among galleries to get into Art | Basel is immense and prices for renting a booth astronomical. So expect the prices to reflect that. But Basel is well worth a trip just for this gigantic artfest if you are interested in seeing modern art, in being seen seeing modern art, and in buying modern art (if you can afford it). The international art world virtually takes over Basel for the week leading up to and during the fairs, with all kinds of art-themed parties and side events and much the same kind of beautiful (and somewhat self-important) people whose company you can enjoy, or not, in New York's Chelsea and London's East End. If you're serious about visiting the fairs, plan at least three days to see them all - Art | Basel alone is exhaustingly vast in scope and requires at least a day (unless you already know which Picasso or Rauschenberg you've got your eyes on). By the way, because of its immense success, Art | Basel has branched out to a second fair, Art | Basel | MiamiBeach, held in December in Miami, Florida, by all accounts an even bigger zoo.
Basel is a permanent exhibit of the expertise of artisans. In the alleys near Barfüsserplatz and Marketplatz - and near the University, just look at the paving stones in the streets. The patterns inlaid in the streets are beautiful! Clearly, the handwork of artisans over the centuries is manifest in so many places. A simple walking tour - anywhere in Basel - reveals extraordinary performance. This standard extends in the modern time to the handcraft of the local pastries and chocolates. There is a tradition here. History sets the standard and in modern times - at least in some practices - the tradition continues.
BaselWorld. International Watch and Jewelry fair. Late March-Early April. The world's biggest watch and jewelry trade show. The city's population more than doubles during this convention. The watch displays are particularly elaborate, with the exhibition space set up like an indoor version of New York's 5th Avenue.
Art | Basel and BaselWorld shows take place at Messe Basel, Messeplatz (Kleinbasel) one of Switzerland's biggest trade fair venues, which also hosts several other trade shows throughout the year.
Basel Herbstmesse (autumn fair). Two weeks beginning on the last Saturday of October every year. Rides, booths, shooting alleys and lots of food in several locations all over the city, including Messeplatz (biggest site with most attractions, including rollercoaster and the like), Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz (where you get nice views from the Ferris wheel). Recommended: the cosy market at Petersplatz, near the main University building, where you can take a leisurely stroll and buy almost anything you never needed - from china, spices and tea, hand-drawn candles, knitted sweaters, leather goods to the latest household cleaning tools - and of course tons of tasty fast food, from healthy corn on the cob to less healthy Wurst varieties. (updated Feb 2017)
Basler Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market). Last week in November until 23 December in Barfüsserplatz.
Theater Basel, ☏ +41 61 295 11 33. Box office, is a three stage public theater in the city center. The Grosse Bühne (grand stage), in the theater's main building on Theaterplatz, is primarily used for operas and ballet. The Schauspielhaus, re-opened in 2002 in a new building on nearby Steinentorstr. 7, offers drama and comedy plays (in German and sometimes Swiss-German). The Kleine Bühne, also in the main building, is used for smaller drama productions or other unclassifiable genres. The repertoire of all three stages typically features a mixture of classic European canon (plays by Schiller, Chekhov, Ibsen, etc., operas by Mozart, Verdi, and the like) and contemporary, sometimes experimental, shows that may defy genre borders. Even classical plays or operas will generally be given a contemporary treatment. Not for a traditionalist's taste but enjoyable for the adventurous spectator. Both the drama and opera productions garner attention beyond Basel and are reviewed by the German speaking press all over Europe.
Symphony Orchestra Basel (Sinfonieorchester Basel). It is the opera orchestra of the Theater Basel (see above), and also performs classical symphonies and other pieces on the Grosse Bühne and in another venue, Stadtcasino Basel, which features an excellent grand auditorium. Tickets for the Orchestra are generally available via the Theater Basel box office (see above)
Other theatre venues include Fauteuil and Tabourettli, box office +41 61 261 26 10, two small stages in a medieval manor on picturesque Spalenberg 12, near Marktplatz, presenting (very) light comedy, usually in Baseldytsch, and some Fasnacht-related events during the season; and Musicaltheater Basel, Feldbergstrasse 151, near Messe Basel, box office via Ticketcorner.
Kaserne, Klybeckstr. 1b, Kleinbasel, ☏ +41 61 66 66 000. A concert (Indie Rock, Electronic Music, Hip Hop, Drum'n'Bass), theater and dance venue.
the bird's eye, Kohlenberg 20, city center, ☏ +41 61 263 33 41. A casual jazz club and home to mostly local talent.
Offbeat/Jazzschule Basel is a promoter of jazz concerts, often bringing big international names to the city. Concerts take place in various venues, including Stadtcasinoo and Theater Basel (see above). Check current programming via Offbeat, tickets also there, or at the Theater Basel box office ☏ +41 61 295 11 33.
Hinterhof, Münchensteinerstrasse 81, M-Parc station, ☏ +41 61 331 04 00. Live acts, bar culture, exhibitions. This place opened its doors in winter 2011 and has been vibrant ever since. Suitable for short visits to the rooftop bar and dancefloor, since they offer frequent parties with no entry fee.
Nordstern, Voltastrasse 30, Voltaplatz station, ☏ +41 61 383 80 60. Club & lounge with a reputation for good electronic music. Free entry Ragga & Dancehall parties on Mondays.
Annex and Acqua, Binningerstrasse 14, Markthalle station. Hotspot near the zoo and the old city centre; very popular with a young crowd. They serve mostly Electronic at Annex. Acqua is part restaurant, part bar; chill out here in a unique environment and enjoy the DJs from a local radio station while they broadcast live from within the bar.
Verso, Petersgraben 45. This venue is run by students and open every Thursday evening during lecture period. Climb down the stairs to the cellar of the university and enjoy the cheap drinks and friendly people. The music played and live acts on stage are subject to constant, chaotic change.
Football: FC Basel play soccer in Super League, the Swiss top tier. Their home ground is St Jakobs Park (capacity 38,000) at Gellertstrasse 235, two km east of city centre next to Basel St Jakob railway station. In 2025 it hosted matches in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals, including the final itself.
Kick a football or fly a frisbee in one of Basel's parks, e.g., Schützenmattpark, reachable by tram No. 8 from central Barfüsserplatz (direction Allschwilerweiher); or in Kannenfeldpark, reached by tram No. 3, also from Barfüsserplatz (direction Burgfelden Grenze), or tram No. 1 from Bahnhof SBB.
Ashtanga Yoga and Japanese archery, among other things, are offered by Unternehmen Mitte, Gerbergasse 30, ☏ +41 61 263 36 63 (see also the Drink section).
Swim the Rhine! While recommended only for good swimmers - and only during the height of summer, when the water temperature allows to actually enjoy it, it is a fun way of cooling off and getting free sightseeing of the medieval old town at the same time. There are several possible points of entry, including the Badhysli [bath house] Rheinbad Breite, St. Alban-Rheinweg 195, ☏ +41 61 311 25 75, on the Grossbasel bank of the river. Exit at the Badhysli Rheinbad St. Johann, St. Johanns-Rheinweg, +41 61 322 04 42, also on the Grossbasel bank, roughly 2 km (1.2 miles) below the Breite bath. Alternatively you can also enter the river on a variety of points on the Kleinbasel bank of the river, where the water is accessible along a promenade of about 3 km (1.8 miles). Since you'll be swimming with the current, you will have to either carry your clothes along in a sealed plastic bag (the Tourist Office sells bright orange ones), or be prepared to walk back in your bathing suit. It is probably best to take a swim with a local. The water is generally considered pretty clean, but you may wish to inquire about current conditions (including the strength of the current and other possible hazards) with one of the Badhysli. See also the Stay safe section below. Each August, there is a popular Rheinschwimmen with up to 3,000 participants and accompanying boats providing some security. You can also just sunbathe and take a dip without swimming very far at either of the Badhysli, which both feature outdoor restaurants (with limited menus), showers, and locker facilities.
There are also several outdoor pools, including Gartenbad St. Jakob, St. Jakobs-Str. 400, ☏ +41 61 311 41 44, Gartenbad Bachgraben, Belforterstr. 135, ☏ +41 61 381 43 33 and Gartenbad Eglisee, Egliseestr. 85, ☏ +41 61 267 47 47. But while these are popular as well, they are far less exciting than a swim in the Rhine.
Wintertime offers ice-skating on a number of large rinks: Eiskunstbahn Egliseee, on the grounds of the swimming pool of the same name (details see above); Kunsteisbahn Margarethen, Im Margarethenpark, ☏ +41 61 361 95 95; or Genossenschaft St. Jakob-Arena, Brüglingen 33, ☏ +41 61 377 51 74 (next to the St. Jakob public pool). All but St. Jakob-Arena are open only in the wintertime. Restaurant Kunsthalle (see Eat, Splurge) has in some past winters also set up a romantic ice rink in their garden.
Rockclimbing or, for the less adventurous, hiking in the nearby Jura Mountains. Falkenfluh, near the picturesque little town of Seewen (about 15 km/9 miles south of Basel, reachable by car or train and post bus) is a popular destination, featuring some 227 marked climbing routes, most of which are medium to challenging. To learn more about rockclimbing contact Irène & Martin Brunner, Rüttenenstrasse 19, 4513 Langendorf, Switzerland, ☏ +41 32 622 34 37. There is also an indoor rock-climbing centre near the SBB train station, called K7. It is family-friendly and offers courses. There is an even bigger climbing gym over the border in Germany, at Weil am Rhein with badminton, squash and ice skating facilities.
There's an abundance of learning opportunities in Basel.
University of Basel (Universität Basel), ☏ +41 61 267 31 11. Switzerland's oldest university, founded in 1460. The main campus is on and around Petersplatz, reachable by tram no. 3 (direction Burgfelden Grenze, stop at Lyss or Spalentor). For student exchange or study abroad programs visit the University's website and go to International Students. Because of its close links with the Basel-based pharmaceutical companies Novartis and Roche (see Work), the University's school for molecular biology, Biozentrum, attracts many international doctoral and post-doc students and is considered one of the top schools in Europe in this area.
University Library (Universitätsbibliothek), Schönbeinstr. 18-20 (near the main campus), ☏ +41 61 267 3100. You need not be a student or member to read inside or use the internet terminals, but you need a membership to borrow books. There is a café on the top floor, which serves coffee, snacks and even limited lunch options at reasonable prices.
Schule für Gestaltung Basel, Vogelsangstrasse 15, ☏ +41 61 695 67 70. One of Switzerland's leading art and design schools, offering academic curricula for design professionals and artists, as well as apprenticeships for trades such as bookprinting, jewelry making and photography.
Basel is a centre of the pharmaceutical industry. The international pharma giant Novartis is headquartered in Basel. as well as the smaller Hoffmann-La Roche. There are also other large chemical and life sciences companies such as CIBA Specialty Chemicals, Syngenta and the pharmaceutical manufacturer company Lonza, who made the Moderna vaccine, among others.
Basel also has several IT and software companies that offer international jobs.
Basel is (jointly with Zürich) headquarters of UBS, Switzerland's biggest and internationally active bank and home of the Bank for International Settlements.
Buy some Basler Läckerli, the local biscuit speciality, a kind of gingerbread (without ginger, however). Addictive, even if you buy the non-brand ones from the Migros supermarket chain.
Basel's "shopping mile" goes from Clarastrasse (Claraplatz) to Marktplatz and up Freiestrasse and Gerbergasse to Heuwaage and Bankverein. Much of the shopping here is in speciality stores and luxury boutiques, with a few department stores. Like other large Swiss cities, Basel has many jewelers, horologers (watches), and chocolatiers. Try to veer off the beaten track and check out Schneidergasse (off of Marktplatz), the hilly Spalenberg and adjacent little alleyways such as Heuberg, Nadelberg, which are not only lovely to walk through but where you are likely to find more original shops, selling artisan jewelry, antiques, specialty items, vintage clothing, books, art, etc. Retailers are generally cheery and very competent, polite and helpful.
There are many places in Basel, including bigger kiosks, where you can buy (relatively) cheap - and mostly kitschy - souvenirs, but if you're looking for something special, go to Heimatwerk (see below). Souvenirs are also available at the SBB Station.
Prices of name brands are generally uniform across the city - and across the country. Discounting has made inroads in Basel. Expect to pay the same price anywhere for a Swiss Army knife or a watch.
Most stores close M-F promptly at 18:30, except for Thursday when many stores are open until 20:00 or 21:00. Stores close by 17:00 on Saturday and nothing is open on Sunday. Exceptions are the stores in and around the train station, the supermarket Coop Pronto at Barfüsserplatz and a number of small family businesses in residential areas. VAT is included in prices, and there is generally no haggling. Some luxury stores offer tax-free shopping for tourists.
Basel market (in the Marktplatz) runs Monday to Saturday until 13:00, selling mostly local organic produce. Not cheap, but worth considering for a picnic.
For the very cheapest, try the Fleamarket in Petersplatz on Saturday.
Läckerli Huus, ☏ +41 61 264 23 23. Gerbergasse 57, city centre. Another location is at Café Spitz (see Eat Splurge) on the Kleinbasel side of Mittlere Brücke. Traditional and non-traditional versions of the famous Basler Läckerli and many other sweets - nice souvenirs.
Confiserie Brändli. One of about half a dozen excellent Basel confiseries (pastry shops) that create unbelievably good pralinés. Chocolate candy is a very poor translation for these little marvels that are absolutely to die for.
, Barfüsserplatz 20, ☏ +41 61 261 70 33.
, Freie Strasse 109, ☏ +41 61 271 50 05.
Confiserie Sprüngli. At Basel SBB station, upstairs. Satellite location of the famous Zürich chocolatier. Wide variety of chocolate products and pastries. Try the dark chocolate or Luxemburgerli, something like little macarons - just better.
When you have filled your stomach with chocolates you may wish to move on to more substantial items:
Heimatwerk, Schneidergasse 2, near Marktplatz, ☏ +41 61 261 91 78. High quality traditional and neo-traditional Swiss goods, such as silken bands (formerly Basel's main export), cotton towels and handkerchiefs from Appenzell, wood toys and traditional clothes.
TARZAN, Güterstrasse 145, ☏ +41 61 361 61 62. In a cosy backyard behind Bahnhof SBB, Swiss label for trendy and high quality streetwear. The shop sells cotton shirts, hoodies, underwear and also some special design items. Clothes for heroes and other suspects.
erfolg, Spalenberg 36, ☏ +41 61 262 22 55. Trendy underwear and t-shirts, somewhat reminiscent of the AmericanApparel brand.
Kiosk 18, Kasernenstrasse 34, Kleinbasel, ☏ +41 61 681 50 45. Conveys Swiss design fashion and accessories by brands such as beige, prognose, and Chantal Pochon. Try the colourful silk scarves by Sonnhild Kestler - they beat Hermès by a wide margin.
Plattfon Record Shop, Feldbergstr. 48. Very cool, small and independent record shop carrying mostly vinyl of genres like: Hip Hop, Electronica, Techno, Drum n Bass, Punk Rock, Dub, Metal and so on. It is open Wednesday through Saturday 12:00–20:00. There's also a small selection of books and zines about music, anarchy, situationism and alternative art. Definitely a place worth checking out.
Marinsel*, Feldbergstrasse 10. Crazy little shop, independent fashion for boys and girls, over 50 local brands, colourful stuff like comics, stickers, buttons, bags, and belts.
Globus, Marktplatz 1/2, ☏ +41 61 268 45 45. High-end department store, with two floors of gourmet grocery store (take the elevator or escalator downstairs).
Bucherer, Freie Strasse 40, city center, ☏ +41 61 261 40 00. High-end jewellery and watches, especially Rolex.
Flohmarkt. If Bucherer is outside your budget or range of interests, try the weekly Flea Market, each Saturday on Petersplatz (Grossbasel, tram no. 3). Find just about anything (except what you needed and came for), and enjoy what you usually never get to do in Switzerland: heavy haggling!
Basel, home of the renaissance philosopher Erasmus of Rotterdam, also prides itself of many good bookshops. Here are some:
Bider & Tanner, Aeschenvorstadt 2, city centre, ☏ +41 61 206 99 99. Large bookstore with a well-stocked English book section and a wide selection of travel books and maps. The place to go to get local topo maps and Swiss bike maps.
DomusHaus Buchhandlung für Architektur und Design, Pfluggässlein 3, city centre, + 41 61 262 04 90. Excellent design and architecture bookshop, off of Freie Strasse.
Pep & No Name, Unterer Heuberg 21, old town, near Spalenberg, ☏ +41 61 261 51 61. Wide selection of books, including on art and photography, limited selection of titles in English. It's also a photography gallery featuring changing exhibitions.
Comix Shop, Theaterpassage 7, city center, ☏ +41 61 271 66 86. If you're into comics, whether the American Spiderman & Co., or arty French bandes déssinées, plan to spend an afternoon in this vast shop with a terrific selection. Also sells postcards and other comics related items.
Thalia (formerly Jäggi Bücher), Freie Strasse 32 (near the central post office), ☏ +41 61 264 26 26. This is Switzerland's version of Barnes & Noble, and part of a major German chain. The biggest bookstore in town, but not the most personal one. Also carries a small selection of English books (including computer books) and stationery.
Basel has a thriving restaurant and café (see below Cafés) culture, and the streets of the old town are lined with outdoor seating in the summer.
Not all restaurants in Basel accept credit cards (though an increasing number do). If in doubt check first.
As in most of Europe, tipping is not a requirement. It is common (but not universal), to round up to the nearest 10 or 20 francs, for example by refusing the change from a note.
Food in Switzerland is generally more expensive than other countries in Europe, and those on a budget should consider preparing their own food from the grocery store (closed in the evenings), or taking a trip up to nearby France or Germany.
Mister Wong. Good Asian food, as cheap as Fr. 7–8 to around Fr. 16 for a meal, situated at the Steinenvorstadt (near Barfüsserplatz), at the Centralbahnplatz (by SBB station) and at Gerbergasse. Many vegetarian options. Self-service. (updated Sep 2025)
1 Brötlibar, Gerbergasse 84. The Brötli-Bar at the Stadthof Hotel, Barfüsserplatz, has a large selection of open sandwiches ("Brötli" to the Swiss). (updated Aug 2022)
2 Hirscheneck, Lindenberg 23. Tu-F 11:00-00:00, Sa 14:00-01:00, Su 10:00-00:00. Traditional left-wing, punk-run restaurant. You get a relatively cheap square meal. Always serves vegetarian and vegan food too. Breakfast on Sundays until 16:00. (updated Aug 2022)
3 Migros, Centralbahnstrasse 10. in Bahnhof SBB, the Swiss train station, a store of the largest grocery store chain in Switzerland, provides sandwiches, tarts, fresh-baked bread, pizza, döner kebab, etc. at very reasonable prices, perfect for picnic lunches on outings. Similar: the Coop shop opposite the station (Centralbahnstrasse). Unlike all other grocery stores in the city, both are open late at night and on Sundays. (updated Aug 2022)
4 Lily's Maxim, Rebgasse 1 (off Claraplatz). Daily 10:00-00:00. "Pan-Asian" bench table restaurant (like Wagamama but with more than noodles). Inexpensive good Asian food, outside terrace in summer. No reservations needed, and they do takeaway. (updated Aug 2022)
5 SAM'S Pizza Land, St. Jakob-Park, St. Jakobs-Strasse 397. The best American style eat out place. Has a take away counter which serves filling Turkish wraps and pizzas for around Fr. 8
6 Mensa Universität Basel, Bernoullistrasse 16. One of the students cafeterias. Serves an inexpensive lunch menu not only to students from Monday to Friday. By no means 'gourmet' food, but you can eat your lunch on the terrace during warm weather. (updated Aug 2022)
7 Restaurant BaCell's/Kaffi Biozentrum, Spitalstrasse 41, ☏ +41 61 207 21 11. M-F 11:30-13:30. Opened in 2021 (along with the building) to cater for the students enrolled in biology, neuro and life sciences at Basel's university, this cafeteria is a great option for an affordable lunch – the futuristic interior, which is strikingly similar to that of the Roche corporate headquarter in Basel's East, is an added bonus. Fr. 12.50/14.50 (mains). (updated Sep 2023)
On the Marktplatz and Barfüsserplatz you usually can find some street vendors in these areas selling pretzels, sandwiches, pizzas, and sometimes crêpes, for around Fr. 3-5 each. On many days in Marktplatz you can buy a variety of tasty sausages (Wurst) hot off the grill from the yellow cart of the Eiche butcher for less than Fr. 6 each. These are served with a piece of bread and a condiment, and there are usually stands nearby where you can eat. During Herbstmesse (see To Do, Other Events), there are significantly more Wurst and other fast food carts and booths in various locations where the fair takes place.
If you are looking for a snack, the Coop Pronto convenience stores usually have fresh baked breads and pastries, and sometimes heartier pastries filled with meat and some packaged sandwiches. As can be expected, drinks are much cheaper at grocery stores than at cafés or restaurants.
Many of the excellent bakeries and confiseries in town sell petite sandwiches that you can take away, and usually you can get some kind of small snack at any street café.
Some of the large department stores in the city centre, Coop City, Pfauen, Migros and Manor, have self-service restaurants/cafeterias on the top floor. While they are not particularly cheap, they serve good food that is a reasonably priced alternative to a full-service restaurant. that salad bars often sell food by plate, not by weight.
Many of the restaurants in the historical part of Basel near Marktplatz are generally of good quality, these include the easily located Löwenzorn ("lion's fury"), Gifthüttli ("poison cabin"), and Hasenburg ("hare's castle"), all of which serve traditional Swiss dishes in a rustic environment - don't be scared by the names, no one gets devoured by wild animals or poisoned. These places are always packed during Fasnacht. In addition, here is a list of places, not necessarily in the old town but still worth a visit:
Restaurant Zum Braunen Mutz, Barfüsserplatz 10, ☏ +41 61 261 33 69. M-Sa 08:00-00:00, Su 10:00-00:00. Great local food such as bratwurst with rosti (around Fr. 20) served in a traditional beer hall. (updated May 2018)
Bodega zum Strauss, Barfüsserplatz 16, ☏ +41 61 261 22 72. M-Sa 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-00:00, Su 18:00-21:30. Italian and Spanish dishes in a noisy but friendly atmosphere on the ground floor. Slightly more elegant (reservation recommended) on the upper floor. (updated May 2018)
Alter Zoll, Elsässerstrasse 127 (tram no. 11 to Hüningerstrasse), ☏ +41 61 322 46 26. Tu-Th 16:00-00:00, F till 02:00. Serves excellent, homemade food for moderate prices (lunch Fr. 17.50, dinner Fr. 20-30). Calm relaxing atmosphere. (updated May 2018)
Zum Goldenen Fass, Hammerstrasse 108 (in Kleinbasel), ☏ +41 61 693 3400. Tu-Sa 18:30-00:00. Trendy place with good food. For an after dinner drink head to the Fassbar next door and fraternize with local hipsters over a few rounds of pinball. (updated May 2018)
Restaurant Birseckerhof, Binningerstrasse 15 (Central, near Heuwaage viaduct), ☏ +41 61 281 01 55. M-F 11:30-14:00 & 18:00-00:00, Sa 18:00-00:00. Daily changing menu of creative (Italian influenced) food, with great desserts (try the Schoggi Mousse if it's on) and a good wine list. mid-range going on pricey. (updated May 2018)
Blindekuh (Restaurant in the Dark), Dornacherstrasse 192 (500 m SW from railway station), ☏ +41 61 336 33 00. W-Sa 18:30-23:00. "Blindekuh" is German for "Blind Man's Buff" and you eat in total darkness, with blind staff to guide you. This sharpens your senses to touch, taste and sound. Blindekuh is one of the largest private-sector employers of blind & partially-sighted people. (updated May 2018)
Nooch Barfi, Gerberstrasse 73 (near Barfüsser Platz). M-Sa 11:00-23:00, Su 12:00-22:00. Asian dishes to suit most tastes, great range of sushi, plenty of vegetarian options, as most dishes can be made with tofu. Very fast cooking. (updated May 2018)
Restaurant Kunsthalle, Steinenberg 7, ☏ +41 61 272 42 33. M-Sa 09:00-23:30. A Basel classic, divided into the Schluuch or brown-table section, a beer-hall serving rustic fare, casual but not cheap, and the "white" section which is an elegant dining hall, reservations essential. Outside is a beer garden in summer, which in winter becomes a skating rink. At the far end of the garden is the Campari Bar, a cool Italian style bar. (updated May 2018)
8 Café Spitz (Brasserie Spitz), Rheingasse 2 (overlooking the Rhine just across Mittlere Brücke in Kleinbasel), ☏ +41 61 685 11 11. Daily 07:00-21:30. Not simply a café - excellent seafood, with a nice terrace overlooking the Rhine. In the summer, there is a special menu with a variety of grilled fish. The outdoor seating area overlooking the Rhine has a reduced (and less expensive) menu. (updated May 2018)
Chez Donati, St. Johannsvorstadt 48 (at Johanniterbrücke), ☏ +41 61 322 09 19. Tu-Sa 11:30-14:00 & 18:30-22:00. Reservations needed. Run by Les Trois Rois hotel - see "Sleep", this is heavy but exquisite north Italian fare: the Osso Bucco (braised veal knuckles) are outstanding. Beautiful interior adorned by modern art, some of it by former patrons such as Andy Warhol. (updated May 2018)
Restaurant Stucki Tanja Granditz (Stucki Bruderholz), Bruderholzallee 42 (1 km south of railway station), ☏ +41 61 361 82 22. Tu-Sa 12.00-14:30 & 18:30-01:00. Reservations needed. Fine restaurant in an old manor serving classic French cuisine, well worth coming the extra distance from town. (updated May 2018)
In Barfüsserplatz, the major beer hall (at least in years gone by) receives its resupply via a tanker truck from the brewery with a very large hose delivering its precious cargo into the tanks of the rathskeller. This looks a lot like a delivery of heating oil in most commercial enterprises! The consumption of beer in this area (near the University) is really serious!
BarRouge. Messeplatz, in the Messeturm, Basel's tallest building, take the express elevator to top (31st) floor: a cool modern-style bar with panoramic views of the city - even from the stalls in the bathroom! +25 Years Club
Zum Braunen Mutz, Barfüsserplatz. A classic beer hall. A good place to get in contact with locals and have a beer or two. Never mind sitting at a table that still has a stool that's not taken.
Cargo Bar, St. Johanns-Rheinweg 46 (underneath Johanniter Bridge and Restaurant Chez Donati), ☏ +41 61 321 00 72. Cool/artsy bar on the board of the Rhine . Art events, movie nights, book readings, and lots of drinks into the wee hours.
Fischerstube, Rheingasse 45, ☏ +41 61 692 92 00. The oldest brewpub in Switzerland, with Ueli Bier micro-brewery on plain view in the back of the restaurant. The nice selection includes a particularly excellent wheat beer. Also good local cuisine.
Restaurant Linde, Rheingasse 41, ☏ +41 61 683 34 00. Here you can help yourself to a pint of Ueli at a "self-service" beer table. These are good hangouts during Fasnacht - if you can get in!
Rio Bar, Barfüsserplatz 12, ☏ +41 61 261 34 72. Starting point for many a late night and inevitable station in the upringing of every self-respecting local 'bohemien', real or imagined. Have a seat in a booth for four to six if you have or like company, or at the bar. Serves only bar fare - to lay a foundation for your drinks: the main pursuit in this Basel classic.
Fassbar, see under Eat Mid-range.
Restaurant Kunsthalle, strictly the brown schluuch section. See under Eat Splurge.
Campari Bar, adjacent to Kunsthalle.
Unternehmen Mitte. Gerbergasse, between Marktplatz and Barfüsserplatz). Interesting hangout and modern-style bar with lots of seating indoors and outdoors. On some evenings, it becomes a venue where you can enjoy classical musicians (W evenings) and watch Tango dancing (Th). See also Cafes.
Pickwicks, Steinenvorstadt 13. Brit/Irish pub. Friendly atmosphere spills out onto the pavement.
Klingental, Klingental 20 (in the heart of the small red light district), ☏ +41 61 681 62 48. One of the rare places that do warm plates after midnight and therefore a place for professional ladies to have their break. (They are having a break, so don't intend to do business with them in there.) Quite a rough atmosphere sometimes but definitely not a dangerous place to go.
Webergasse 7 (in the red light district). Small bar with a hotel that rents rooms on a "short timeline basis". Although definitely used as a "contact room", still a nice little dodgy bar with still affordable prices after midnight. Best of all: You don't get chatted up.
Fasnacht - "Cliquekeller". During Fasnacht many of the Cliques open up their practice/social rooms to the general public, to enjoy less expensive drinks and food than in most restaurants and bars. These places are often in cellars (hence the name), many in the alleys on the hill between the University and Marktplatz. Check for colorful Fasnacht lanterns above the doors. Worthwhile, as they sometimes easier to get into during Fasnacht than the standard bars - and more fun: decorated in Fasnacht regalia of past years, they are run by cheerful volunteers and homebase to the Cliquen, who come to relax after some hours of roaming the streets. The tone tends to be bit rough, but don't let that scare you, it's not personal. Be courageous and try out your Baseldytsch and see a bit of Basel normally closed to tourists. You also get to see a few of Switzerland's ubiquitous nuclear shelters, as some of the Cliquekellers double up as bunkers.
You can choose between a wide array of old-style, trendy and alternative coffee houses. Many restaurants or bars also serve coffee outside meal hours and before nightlife begins and it is perfectly acceptable to nurse a cup for an hour while reading a newspaper or book. Some places have outdoor seating in the summer.
Grand Café Huguenin, Barfüsserplatz (corner of Streitgasse), ☏ +41 61 272 05 50. M-Th 07:00-19:00, F Sa 07:00-22:00, Su 08:00-19:00. Venerable coffee house on the second floor of an old office building, with big windows onto the square, has been serving all ages, for ages. Nice cakes. (updated May 2018)
Zum Isaak, Münsterplatz (opposite the Cathedral), ☏ +41 61 261 47 12. Daily 11:00-23:30. Located on one of Basel's finest squares, this is nice and cosy to warm up after a winter visit to the Münster. Offers creative, organic cuisine. The owners fought and eventually won an epic battle to rid the square of a big parking lot - a win also for the visitors. (updated May 2018)
Ängel oder Aff (Angel or Ape; formerly zum Roten Engel), Andreasplatz 15 (near Marktplatz), ☏ +41 61 261 20 07. M-F 08:30-22:00, Sa 09:00-23:00, Su 10:00-20:00. A student hangout on a charming little square. Serves good Birchermuesli and wide selection of teas. Great to sit outdoors in the summer. (updated May 2018)
Fumare/Non-Fumare. Two cafés - for smokers and for non-smokers. See Unternehmen Mitte under Drink. Great café lattes and cappuccinos.
Always a good plan to book early, and essential if you hope to stay in Basel during Fasnacht, BaselWorld, or Art | Basel.
Jugendherberge Basel (Youth Hostel St. Alban), Alban-Kirchrain 10, Grossbasel (In St Albans, 1 km east of centre, S bank of river), ☏ +41 61 272 05 72, fax: +41 61 272 08 33, basel@youthhostel.ch. Hostel in a converted 19th-century factory, a bit spartan. Dorm Fr. 30, singles Fr. 80. (updated May 2018)
Basel Backpack, Dornacherstrasse 192 (Gundeli district just S of main railway station), ☏ +41 61 333 00 37, fax: +41 61 333 00 39, info@baselbackpack.ch. Clean, easy-to-find, adequately equipped hostel. Dorm Fr. 30, singles Fr. 80. (updated May 2018)
Hyve Hostel, Gempenstrasse 64 (300 m south of main railway station, take B'hof Sud / Gundeldingen exit), ☏ +41 61 539 1877. Clean, well-equipped, central hostel with café and co-working possibilities. Dorm from Fr. 40, single rooms Fr. 90. (updated Dec 2025)
Aparthotel Adagio Basel City, Hammerstrasse 46, ☏ +41 61 686 4600. Central 3-star with 77 self-catering studios or 1-bedroom apartments, with contemporary decor. From Fr. 100. (updated May 2018)
Au Violon, Im Lohnhof 4, ☏ +41 61 269 87 11. 3-star boutique hotel in converted detention centre - no surprise the rooms in former cells are small. Those in former police offices are a bit bigger. Ranged around a tree-lined courtyard with fountain. Also a French brasserie restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating. From Fr. 150 double. (updated May 2018)
Schweizerhof, Centralbahnplatz (next to the SBB Station), ☏ +41 61 560 85 85. 3 star, handy for local transport. Double from Fr. 130. (updated May 2018)
Krafft Basel, Rheingasse 12, Kleinbasel (on the shore of the Rhine), ☏ +41 61 690 91 30. 3-star historic hotel (Hermann Hesse wrote parts of his novel Steppenwolf here); renovated in boutique-style, mixes old with contemporary design. Doubles from Fr. 230. (updated May 2018)
Münchnerhof Swiss Q Hotel, Riehenring 75 (Opposite fair ground, 600 m from main railway station), ☏ +41 61 689 44 44, fax: +41 61 689 44 45. Three star hotel. From Fr. 70. (updated May 2018)
Gaia Hotel (formerly St.Gotthard), Centralbahnstrasse 13, CH-4002 (Opposite main railway station), ☏ +41 61 225 13 13, fax: +41 61 225 13 14. Four-star hotel. From Fr. 150. (updated May 2018)
Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel, Steinentorstrasse 25 (by Heuwaage viaduct), ☏ +41 61 227 27 27. Renovated, fully air conditioned, great lobby bar and fair restaurants: Steinenpick and Kaffi-Muehli. Pleasant and helpful staff. Standard rooms are of modest size, not much view, unless you go high-end deluxe business class. Fr. 150-250. (updated May 2018)
Hotel Metropol, Elisabethenanlage 5, CH-4002 (Close to railway station), ☏ +41 61 206 76 76, fax: +41 61 206 76 77, hotel@metropol-basel.ch. Modern 4-star city hotel. From Fr. 100. (updated May 2018)
Muttenz Hotel Baslertor, St. Jakob-Strasse 1, CH-4132 (3 km east of centre), ☏ +41 61 465 55 55, fax: +41 31 378 66 00, hotel-baslertor@balehotels.ch. Three-star hotel in suburb of Muttenz. From Fr. 100. (updated May 2018)
Pullman Basel Europe (formerly Mercure Basel Europe), Clarastrasse 43 (Next to Messe and Congresszentrum, take Tram 1 or 2 from SBB), ☏ +41 61 6908080. Modern and elegant Pullman, 4-star, decked out in a subdued mix of beige, brown and gray. Upper floor rooms have a terrace with views over the rooftops of Basel. With gym and restaurant. Fr. 120. (updated May 2018)
1 Dorint Hotel An der Messe, Schönaustrasse 10, 4058 Basel, ☏ +41 61 6957000, info.basel@dorint.com. Modern boxy affair with 171 rooms & studios, two minutes' walk from the fair and congress centre. Fr. 100. (updated May 2018)
Engel, Kasernenstrasse 10, Liesta (Liestal is a suburb 15 km from the centre.), fax: +41 61 927 80 80, info@engel-liestal.ch. Four-star hotel. Fr 150-200. (updated May 2018)
Teufelhof, Leonhardsgraben 49 (edge of the old town), ☏ +41 61 261 10 10, fax: +41 61 261 10 04, info@teufelhof.com. 3-star boutique hotel, with spacious modern rooms in an 18th-century mansion. Each room has an individual artistic design. Also two restaurants and its own theatre. Fr. 350-550. (updated May 2018)
2 Les Trois Rois (Drei Könige / Three Kings), Blumenrain 8 (on the bank of the Rhine by Mittlere Brücke), ☏ +41 61 260 50 50, fax: +41 61 260 50 60. Sumptuous, grand old 5-star hotel. The Three Kings are understood to mean the Magi - who didn't stay, but the glittering clientele has included Napoleon Bonaparte, Voltaire, Charles Dickens, Theodor Herzl, Jean-Paul Sartre, Duke Ellington, and the Dalai Lama. In 2001 Pierre Boulez was brusquely awoken at 06:00 by the police. They'd discovered that he'd said that "opera hoses should be blown up" - in an interview in 1967. Fr. 500. (updated May 2018)
Hotel Euler, Centralbahnplatz 14 (Next to main railway station), ☏ +41 61 275 80 00, fax: +41 61 275 80 50, reservation@hoteleuler.ch. Lovely if somewhat old-fashioned 4-star hotel. With own garage. From Fr. 250 single to Fr. 880 for a suite. (updated May 2018)
As a rule of thumb, you are safe anywhere in Basel at any time. If you ever feel threatened, go into a restaurant or use a public phone, the emergency number is 117, and operators usually speak English.
Swiss police usually take on a relatively unobtrusive air. However, they are indeed serious about traffic violations. The upside to stringent traffic rules is that drivers are generally considerate and will stop for pedestrians at crosswalks, even if there are no traffic lights.
Football (soccer) games are the only notable exceptions to the above rules. Because of an unfortunate history of hooligan violence, games are generally overseen by a large contingent of police officers in riot gear, in case of any major unrest. Nonetheless, it is generally safe to watch a game—just use common sense and stay away from the stadium areas where the hardcore fans congregate (usually the least expensive seats).
The biggest threat may be pickpockets. Be mindful of how you carry your valuables, particularly on trams and buses.
The drinking age for beer, wine, and similar low alcohol drinks is 16, while the age for straight liquor is 18. The public consumption of alcohol in Switzerland is legal so do not be alarmed if you see a group of teenagers publicly drinking.
Watch out for the trams! Particularly the main downtown stops (Centralbahnplatz (Basel SBB), Barfüsserplatz, Marktplatz, Aeschenplatz, Messeplatz) can get very busy and be a bit of a maze. If you are not used to trams, you may easily be surprised by one sneaking up behind your back; their silent running makes them very difficult to hear at first.
If at night you feel uncomfortable alone on a tram or a bus, ride near the operator in the front. They are helpful if you run into any trouble or are lost. In case of an emergency, they can press a panic button to alert the police of the tram's location.
Be careful when swimming in the Rhine (see To Do, Sports) - it's not a lazy river! Don't go if you are a weak swimmer; ask locals for good and safe entry and exit points besides the ones mentioned above. Wear sandals or other footwear, as you may have to walk back up to 2 km (1.2 mi) to your point of entry. The tourist offices in Basel sell bright orange waterproof bags that allow you to take your clothing down the river as you swim and increase your visibility. The use of floating toys or swimming aids is forbidden by law. Stay clear of the many bridge abutments and the boat traffic, including the large commercial barges - they cannot and will not deviate from their course for you. Unless you are an experienced Rhine-swimmer, avoid the Grossbasel side of the river: the currents are very strong, exit points limited, and the section is part of the up-river bound trade shipping route. Swimming is safest along the Kleinbasel bank where the currents are weaker and there are many exits along the riverbank. Never try to swim across from one side to the other. Avoid overshooting the last bridge (Dreirosenbrücke): a large commercial port follows, without meaningful exit points but plenty of dangerous commercial boat traffic. If you do overshoot, pick your country of immigration: France to your left, Germany to your right. Jumping off bridges is not only forbidden but also dangerous and outright stupid, as is swimming the Rhine at night - don't do it!
As of Sept 2021, Basel has 4G from Salt, and 5G from Sunrise and Swisscom. It also has 4G from all French and all German carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.
Every Swiss takes great pride in his/her work. Every position is a profession demanding excellence. The bartender, housekeeper, tram driver, retail clerk, street sweeper, waiter and all other workers aim to be perfectly competent. This attitude is reflected in the everyday life you will experience in Basel and throughout Switzerland. Don't mistake the Swiss penchant for privacy and calmness as indifference. They are earnest and interested, but generally reserved - except during Fasnacht.
Chivalry towards women and the elderly is common. Do not be surprised if you see the pierced mohawk punk on a tram or bus give up his/her seat to an elderly person. Offering to help mothers board their strollers into older high-floor trams is also commonplace. On the same note it is not unusual to see elderly yelling or swatting at young passengers, who they feel are not behaving. Drivers are also known for their gentlemanly attitude towards passengers: even though they aim to be painstakingly punctual, they will find the time to wait for a passenger running towards the bus or tram and keep the front or rear door open.
If you happen to lose something, don't despair. There is a fair chance that the person who finds the item will try to contact you personally, if it has a name or address on it. Real story: A Basel resident found a credit card on the street and took the time to visit a number of nearby office buildings and inquire about the possibility of the card owner working in that building. The rightful owner was eventually found after several inquiries.
If you don't want to wait for such a punctilious finder to find you, try the city's Lost and Found to check if anyone has returned the item for claim:
City Lost & Found: Fund- und Passbüro, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 51, telephonic inquiries: 0900 120 130 (Fr. 1.19 / min).
Railway Lost & Found: SBB Fundbüro, basement of the Basel SBB railway station.
In the case of the SBB Fundbüro, you may, for a fee, report a loss and provide an address to have the item sent in case it is returned.Given the tradition of good citizenry in returning lost items, it is a point of honour to offer a "finder's fee" of 10% of the property value.
Local, national and international news are provided by the German-speaking dailies bz Basel and Basler Zeitung and a variety of other Swiss and international newspapers, many of which are available at many kiosks, particularly in the city centre or at the train stations.
Basel's mainstream local radio station is Radio Basilisk, FM 107.6 or internet stream, which broadcasts mainly Top 40 music and spoken word programs in baseldytsch (i.e., dialect).
English speakers may consider tuning in to Radio X, FM 94.5 or internet stream, which broadcasts in several foreign languages, including English (The English Show on Tuesday nights, from 18:30 to 20:00).
The following destinations are good day trips by train from Basel:
Zürich, Bern, Interlaken (see below), Lucerne (see below), Schaffhausen — all in Switzerland, 1–2 hours from the main station (Bahnhof SBB).
Freiburg and the Black Forest — these are across the border in Germany (bring a passport), roughly 1 hour from the German station (Badischer Bahnhof) in Kleinbasel.
Colmar — in Alsace (passport!), leaving from the French (SNCF) station, at the far end to the right of Bahnhof SBB)
Lucerne — One of the most picturesque towns of Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Lucerne, with terrific panoramic views of the Alps.
Interlaken — Scenic valley town in the Bernese Oberland, between two lakes (hence the name), and right at the center of the Alps. Interlaken is an ideal starting point for day hikes in the Alps, and for sightseeing three of their most famous peaks: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Lugano — At the southern end of Switzerland, near the border with Italy, lies the Ticino, the part of Switzerland where Italian and Swiss culture blend. There is a direct train from Basel to Lugano (3½ hours).
Laufenburg — Not as big and well known as the above-mentioned destinations, Laufenburg is a small but pretty medieval town, half Swiss half German, divided by the Rhine. It's a pretty half-hour drive or train ride along the Rhine from Basel. You can continue the drive for up to two more hours until you get to Schaffhausen and the Rhine falls.
Lörrach — Visit Rötteln Castle. The fortification was one of the most powerful in the southwest, and today is the third largest castle ruin in Baden. The outer castle is free and open year-round. The inner keep and museum is open each day in summer and on weekends at other times. It's a half-hour drive or train ride from Basel main station to Lörrach main station. In Lörrach ride Bus no. 16 to Röttelnweiler plus 15 minutes walk or about 50 minutes walk from the main station.
Saint-Louis (Haut Rhine) is just across the border in France, served by the Basel tramway and a popular shopping destination for Basel residents
Late March and early April bring a unique hydrological spectacle: the Rhine’s spring melt swells the water level, flooding the low‑lying Stadtwalls and turning the historic bridges into temporary promenades. Locals greet the rise with a pragmatic optimism, setting up pop‑up stalls on the water‑logged squares and hosting impromptu jazz sessions on floating platforms. The temporary change in river flow also alters the acoustic qualities of the Basel Minster’s organ, producing a deeper resonance that only seasoned organists notice. Travelers timing their visit to this period can experience a city that embraces its natural cycles, turning an ordinary flood risk into a seasonal cultural performance.
City in Switzerland "Basle" and "Basilea" redirect here. For other uses, see Basle (disambiguation), Basilea (disambiguation), and Basel (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Basil. Municipality in Basel-Stadt, SwitzerlandBasel BasleMunicipalityRiver Rhine with Basel Minster in backgroundUniversity of BaselMiddle BridgeRoche TowerElisabethenkirche FlagCoat of armsLocation of BaselBaselShow map of SwitzerlandBaselShow map of Canton of Basel-StadtCoordinates: 47°33′17″N 07°35′26″E / 47.55472°N 7.59056°E / 47.55472; 7.59056CountrySwitzerlandCantonBasel-StadtGovernment • ExecutiveRegierungsrat with 7 members • ParliamentGrosser Rat with 100 membersArea • Total22.75 km2 (8.78 sq mi)Elevation (Barfüsserkirche)261 m (856 ft)Highest elevation (Wasserturm Bruderholz)366 m (1,201 ft)Lowest elevation (Rhine shore, national border at Kleinhüningen)244.75 m (803.0 ft)Population (2024-12-31) • Total177,595 (city municipality)830,000 (metropolitan area) • Density7,806/km2 (20,220/sq mi)DemonymsGerman: Basler(in), French: Bâlois(e), Italian: Basilese, Romansh: Basilean(a)Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)Postal code4000SFOS number2701ISO 3166 codeCH-BSSurrounded byAllschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS), Saint-Louis (FR-68), Weil am Rhein (DE-BW)Websitewww.bs.ch Basel (/ˈbɑːzəl/ BAH-zəl; German: [ˈbaːzl̩] ⓘ), also known as Basle (English: /bɑːl/ BAHL), is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river Rhine (at the transition from the High to the Upper Rhine). Basel is Switzerland's third most populous city (after Zurich and Geneva), with 177,595 inhabitants within the city municipality limits. Basel is commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerland and the city is famous for its many museums, including the Kunstmuseum, which is the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world (1661) and the largest museum of art in Switzerland, the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen), the Museum Tinguely and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is the first public museum of contemporary art in Europe. Forty museums are spread throughout the city-canton, making Basel one of the largest cultural centres in relation to its size and population in Europe. It is the hometown of Art Basel, the world's most prestigious and influential international art fair, showcasing modern and contemporary works from leading galleries and attracting top collectors, artists, and enthusiasts globally. The University of Basel, Switzerland's oldest university (founded in 1460), and the city's centuries-long commitment to humanism, have made Basel a safe haven at times of political unrest in other parts of Europe for such notable people as Erasmus of Rotterdam, the Holbein family, Friedrich Nietzsche, Carl Jung, and in the 20th century also Hermann Hesse and Karl Jaspers. Basel was the seat of a Prince-Bishopric starting in the 11th century, and joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1501. The city has been a commercial hub and an important cultural centre since the Renaissance, and has emerged as a centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in the 20th century. In 1897, Basel was chosen by Theodor Herzl as the location for the first World Zionist Congress, and altogether the congress was held there ten times over a time span of 50 years, more than in any other location. The city is also home to the world headquarters of the Bank for International Settlements. The name of the city is internationally known through institutions like the Basel Accords, Art Basel and FC Basel. Basel is Switzerland's main centre for the pharmaceutical industry, hosting both Novartis and Roche. In 1938, the world-renowned chemist Albert Hofmann discovered LSD in Basel, where he spent most of his life. The discovery is celebrated internationally as Bicycle Day. Other influential and renowned figures such as Roger Federer, Paracelsus, Matthäus Merian, Michel von Tell and Stephan Remmler are closely associated with the city or were born there. In 1734, the so-called 'Basel Problem' was solved in the city, which is regarded as one of the most important achievements in mathematics. The official language of Basel is German, but the main spoken language is Basel German, the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect. Basel was ranked the tenth most liveable city in the world by Mercer in 2019.
[edit] The name of Basel is first recorded as Basilia in the 3rd century (237/238), at the time referring to the Roman castle. This name is mostly interpreted as deriving from the personal name Basilius, from a toponym villa Basilia ("estate of Basilius") or similar. Another suggestion derives it from a name Basilia attested in northern France as a development of basilica, the term for a public or church building (as in Bazeilles), but all of these names reference early church buildings of the 4th or 5th century and cannot be adduced for the 3rd century attestation of Basilia. By popular etymology, or simple assonance, the basilisk becomes closely associated with the city, used as heraldic supporter from 1448, represented on coins minted by the city, and frequently found in ornaments. The Middle French form Basle was adopted into English, but this form has fallen gradually out of use although it continues to be used with the modern French pronunciation in some sections of British English, at least informally. Currently, the spelling Basel is most often used, to match the official German spelling. In French Basle was still in use in the 18th century, but was gradually replaced by the modern French spelling Bâle. In Icelandic, the city is recorded as Buslaraborg in the 12th century itinerary Leiðarvísir og borgarskipan.
[edit] For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Basel. Early history[edit] The Roman theatre in Augusta Raurica, one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in Switzerland There are traces of a settlement at the nearby Rhine knee from the early La Tène period (5th century BC). In the 2nd century BC, there was a village of the Raurici at the site of Basel-Gasfabrik (to the northwest of the Old City, and likely identical with the town of Arialbinnum that was mentioned on the Tabula Peutingeriana). The unfortified settlement was abandoned in the 1st century BC in favour of an oppidum on the site of Basel Minster, probably in reaction to the Roman invasion of Gaul. In Roman Gaul, Augusta Raurica was established some 20 km (12 mi) from Basel as the regional administrative centre, while a castrum (fortified camp) was built on the site of the Celtic oppidum. In AD 83, the area was incorporated into the Roman province of Germania Superior. The Roman Senator Munatius Plancus is known as the traditional founder of Basel since the Renaissance. Roman control over the area deteriorated in the 3rd century, and Basel became an outpost of the Provincia Maxima Sequanorum formed by Diocletian. Basilia is first named by the Ammianus Marcellinus in his Res Gestae as part of the Roman military fortifications along the Rhine in the late 4th century. The Germanic confederation of the Alemanni attempted to cross the Rhine several times in the 4th century, but were repelled; one such event was the Battle of Solicinium (368). However, in the great invasion of AD 406, the Alemanni appear to have crossed the Rhine a final time, conquering and then settling what is today Alsace and a large part of the Swiss Plateau. The Duchy of Alemannia fell under Frankish rule in the 6th century. The Alemannic and Frankish settlement of Basel gradually grew around the old Roman castle in the 6th and 7th century. It appears that Basel surpassed the ancient regional capital of Augusta Raurica by the 7th century; based on the evidence of a gold tremissis (a small gold coin with the value of a third of a solidus) with the inscription Basilia fit, Basel seems to have minted its own coins in the 7th century. Basel at this time was part of the Archdiocese of Besançon. A separate bishopric of Basel, replacing the ancient bishopric of Augusta Raurica, was established in the 8th century. Under bishop Haito (r. 806–823), the first cathedral was built on the site of the Roman castle (replaced by a Romanesque structure consecrated in 1019). At the partition of the Carolingian Empire through the Treaty of Verdun in 843, Basel was first given to West Francia and became its German exclave. It passed to East Francia with the Treaty of Meerssen of 870. Basel was destroyed by the Magyars in 917. The rebuilt town became part of Upper Burgundy, and as such was incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire in 1032. Prince-Bishopric of Basel[edit] Main article: Prince-Bishopric of Basel Basel Minster, built between 1019 and 1500 Münsterplatz during Basler Fasnacht From the donation by Rudolph III of Burgundy of the Moutier-Grandval Abbey and all its possessions to Bishop Adalbero II of Metz in 999 until the Reformation, Basel was ruled by Prince-Bishops. In 1019, the construction of the cathedral of Basel (known locally as the Münster) began under Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor. In the 11th to 12th centuries, Basel gradually acquired the characteristics of a medieval city. The main market place is first mentioned in 1091. The first city walls were constructed around 1100 (with improvements made in the mid-13th and in the late 14th century). A city council of nobles and burghers is recorded for 1185, and the first mayor, Heinrich Steinlin of Murbach, for 1253. The first bridge across the Rhine was built in 1225 under bishop Heinrich von Thun (at the location of the modern Middle Bridge), and from this time the settlement of Kleinbasel gradually formed around the bridgehead on the far river bank. The bridge was largely funded by Basel's Jewish community who had settled there a century earlier. For many centuries[dubious – discuss] to come Basel possessed the only permanent bridge over the river "between Lake Constance and the sea". The first city craft guild was the furriers, established in 1226. A total of about fifteen guilds were established in the course of the 13th century, reflecting the increasing economic prosperity of the city. The Crusade of 1267 set out from Basel. Political conflicts between the bishops and the burghers began in the mid-13th century and continued throughout the 14th century. By the late 14th century, the city was for all practical purposes independent although it continued to nominally pledge fealty to the bishops. The House of Habsburg attempted to gain control over the city. This was not successful, but it caused a political split among the burghers of Basel into a pro-Habsburg faction, known as Sterner, and an anti-Habsburg faction, the Psitticher. The Black Death reached Basel in 1348. The Jews were blamed, and an estimated 50 to 70 Jews were executed by burning on 16 January 1349 in what has become known as the Basel massacre. The Basel earthquake of 1356 destroyed much of the city along with a number of castles in the vicinity. A riot on 26 February 1376, known as Böse Fasnacht, led to the killing of a number of men of Leopold III, Duke of Austria. This was seen as a serious breach of the peace, and the city council blamed "foreign ruffians" for this and executed twelve alleged perpetrators. Leopold nevertheless had the city placed under imperial ban, and in a treaty of 9 July, Basel was given a heavy fine and was placed under Habsburg control. To free itself from Habsburg hegemony, Basel joined the Swabian League of Cities in 1385, and many knights of the pro-Habsburg faction, along with duke Leopold himself, were killed in the Battle of Sempach the following year. A formal treaty with Habsburg was made in 1393. Basel had gained its de facto independence from both the bishop and from the Habsburgs and was free to pursue its own policy of territorial expansion, beginning around 1400. The unique representation of a bishops' crozier as the heraldic charge in the coat of arms of Basel first appears in the form of a gilded wooden staff in the 12th century. It is of unknown origin or significance (beyond its obvious status of bishop's crozier), but it is assumed to have represented a relic, possibly attributed to Saint Germanus of Granfelden. This staff (known as Baselstab) became a symbol representing the Basel diocese, depicted in bishops' seals of the late medieval period. It is represented in a heraldic context in the early 14th century, not yet as a heraldic charge but as a kind of heraldic achievement flanked by the heraldic shields of the bishop. The staff is also represented in the bishops's seals of the period. The use of the Baselstab in black as the coat of arms of the city was introduced in 1385. From this time, the Baselstab in red represented the bishop, and the same charge in black represented the city. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is In Silber ein schwarzer Baselstab (Argent, a staff of Basel sable).[citation needed] In 1400, Basel was able to purchase the towns of Liestal, Homburg and Waldenburg with its surrounding territory. 1493 woodcut of Basel, from the Nuremberg Chronicle In 1412 (or earlier), the well-known Gasthof zum Goldenen Sternen was established. Basel became the focal point of western Christendom during the 15th century Council of Basel (1431–1449), including the 1439 election of antipope Felix V. In 1459, Pope Pius II endowed the University of Basel, where such notables as Erasmus of Rotterdam and Paracelsus later taught. At the same time the new craft of printing was introduced to Basel by apprentices of Johann Gutenberg. In 1461, the land around Farnsburg became a part of Basel. The Schwabe publishing house was founded in 1488 by Johannes Petri and is the oldest publishing house still in business. Johann Froben also operated his printing house in Basel and was notable for publishing works by Erasmus. In 1495, Basel was incorporated into the Upper Rhenish Imperial Circle; the Bishop of Basel was added to the Bench of the Ecclesiastical Princes of the Imperial Diet. In 1500 the construction of the Basel Münster was finished. As a member state in the Swiss Confederacy[edit] Main article: Canton of Basel Map of Basel in 1642, engraved by Matthäus Merian, oriented with SW at the top and NE at the bottom The city had remained neutral through the Swabian War of 1499 despite being plundered by soldiers on both sides. The Treaty of Basel ended the war and granted the Swiss confederates exemptions from the emperor Maximillian's taxes and jurisdictions, separating Switzerland de facto from the Holy Roman Empire. On 9 June 1501, Basel joined the Swiss Confederation as its eleventh canton. It was the only canton that was asked to join, not the other way round. Basel had a strategic location, good relations with Strasbourg and Mulhouse, and control of the corn imports from Alsace, whereas the Swiss lands were becoming overpopulated and had few resources. A provision of the Charter accepting Basel required that in conflicts among the other cantons it was to stay neutral and offer its services for mediation. In 1503, the new bishop Christoph von Utenheim refused to give Basel a new constitution; whereupon, to show its power, the city began to build a new city hall. In 1529, the city became Protestant under Oecolampadius and the bishop's seat was moved to Porrentruy. The bishop's crook was however retained as the city's coat of arms. For centuries to come, a handful of wealthy families collectively referred to as the "Daig" played a pivotal role in city affairs as they gradually established themselves as a de facto city aristocracy. The first edition of Christianae religionis institutio (Institutes of the Christian Religion – John Calvin's great exposition of Calvinist doctrine) was published at Basel in March 1536. In 1544, Johann von Brugge, a rich Dutch Protestant refugee, was given citizenship and lived respectably until his death in 1556, then buried with honors. His body was exhumed and burnt at the stake in 1559 after it was discovered that he was the Anabaptist David Joris. In 1543, De humani corporis fabrica, the first book on human anatomy, was published and printed in Basel by Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564). There are indications that Joachim Meyer, author of the influential 16th-century martial arts text Kunst des Fechten ("The Art of Fencing"), came from Basel. In 1661 the Amerbaschsches Kabinett, a vast collection of exotic artifacts, coins, medals and books was purchased by Basel. It was to become to the first public museum of art. Its collection became the core of the later Basel Museum of Art. The Bernoulli family, which included important 17th- and 18th-century mathematicians such as Jakob Bernoulli, Johann Bernoulli and Daniel Bernoulli, were from Basel. The 18th-century mathematician Leonhard Euler was born in Basel and studied under Johann Bernoulli. Modern history[edit] In 1792, the Republic of Rauracia, a revolutionary French client republic, was created. It lasted until 1793. After three years of political agitation and a short civil war in 1833 the disadvantaged countryside seceded from the Canton of Basel, forming the half canton of Basel-Landschaft. Between 1861 and 1878 the city walls were slighted. On 3 July 1874, Switzerland's first zoo, the Zoo Basel, opened its doors in the south of the city towards Binningen. First World Zionist Congress in Basel, 1897 (Stadtcasino) In 1897 the first World Zionist Congress was held in Basel. Altogether the World Zionist Congress was held in Basel ten times, more than in any other city in the world. On 16 November 1938, the psychedelic drug LSD was first synthesized by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann at Sandoz Laboratories in Basel. In 1967, the population of Basel voted in favor of buying three works of art by painter Pablo Picasso which were at risk of being sold and taken out of the local museum of art, due to a financial crisis on the part of the owner's family. Therefore, Basel became the first city in the world where the population of a political community democratically decided to acquire works of art for a public institution. Pablo Picasso was so moved by the gesture that he subsequently gifted the city with an additional three paintings. Basel as a historical, international meeting place[edit] Image of Basel in theTopographie der Eidgenossenschaft (Topography of the [Swiss] Confederation) from 1761 Basel has often been the site of peace negotiations and other international meetings. The Treaty of Basel (1499) ended the Swabian War. Two years later Basel joined the Swiss Confederation. The Peace of Basel in 1795 between the French Republic and Prussia and Spain ended the First Coalition against France during the French Revolutionary Wars. In more recent times, the World Zionist Organization held its first congress in Basel from 29 August through 31 August 1897. Because of the Balkan Wars, the (Socialist) Second International held an extraordinary congress at Basel in 1912. In 1989, the Basel Convention was opened for signature with the aim of preventing the export of hazardous waste from wealthy to developing nations for disposal.
[edit] Location[edit] Basel is located in Northwestern Switzerland and is commonly considered to be the capital of that region. It is close to the point where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, and Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany. As of 2016[update], the Swiss Basel agglomeration was the third-largest in Switzerland, with a population of 541,000 in 74 municipalities in Switzerland (municipal count as of 2018). The metropolitan area, called the Trinational Eurodistrict of Basel (TEB), consists of 62 suburban communes including municipalities in neighboring countries, and counted 829,000 inhabitants in 2007. Topography[edit] Basel (in the upper left corner) as seen from Bettingen (television tower St. Chrischona) facing France Basel has an area, as of 2009[update], of 23.91 square kilometers (9.23 sq mi). Of this area, 0.95 km2 (0.37 sq mi) or 4.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.88 km2 (0.34 sq mi) or 3.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 20.67 km2 (7.98 sq mi) or 86.4% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.45 km2 (0.56 sq mi) or 6.1% is either rivers or lakes. Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 10.2% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 40.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 24.0%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.7% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 8.9%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 2.5% is used for growing crops and 1.3% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. The topography of the region is notably flat, as Basel is situated in a valley basin. The Rhine, one of Europe's largest and most significant rivers, flows directly through the heart of the city, dividing it into Grossbasel on the left bank and Kleinbasel on the right. Climate[edit] Basel features a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb, Trewartha: Dobk), with cool, overcast winters and warm, humid summers. The city averages 118.2 days of rain or snow annually and on average receives 842 mm (33.1 in) of precipitation. The wettest month is May during which time Basel receives an average of 98 mm (3.9 in) of rain. The month with the most days of precipitation is also May, with an average of 11.7 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 45 mm (1.8 in) of precipitation over 8.4 days. Climate data for Basle (Binningen), elevation: 316 m (1,037 ft), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 19.0(66.2) 22.0(71.6) 25.2(77.4) 30.5(86.9) 33.5(92.3) 38.4(101.1) 39.0(102.2) 38.7(101.7) 35.0(95.0) 29.6(85.3) 21.9(71.4) 20.6(69.1) 39.0(102.2) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.0(41.0) 8.0(46.4) 12.0(53.6) 16.0(60.8) 20.0(68.0) 24.0(75.2) 26.0(78.8) 25.0(77.0) 21.0(69.8) 16.0(60.8) 9.0(48.2) 6.0(42.8) 15.7(60.3) Daily mean °C (°F) 3.0(37.4) 4.5(40.1) 7.5(45.5) 11.0(51.8) 15.0(59.0) 18.5(65.3) 20.5(68.9) 20.0(68.0) 16.5(61.7) 12.0(53.6) 6.0(42.8) 3.5(38.3) 12.5(54.5) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.0(33.8) 1.0(33.8) 3.0(37.4) 6.0(42.8) 10.0(50.0) 13.0(55.4) 15.0(59.0) 15.0(59.0) 12.0(53.6) 8.0(46.4) 3.0(37.4) 1.0(33.8) 7.5(45.5) Record low °C (°F) −24.2(−11.6) −23.8(−10.8) −14.8(5.4) −6.3(20.7) −2.7(27.1) 1.1(34.0) 5.1(41.2) 3.6(38.5) −1.3(29.7) −5.5(22.1) −11.0(12.2) −20.9(−5.6) −24.2(−11.6) Average precipitation mm (inches) 47.8(1.88) 45.2(1.78) 49.5(1.95) 63.5(2.50) 97.6(3.84) 86.6(3.41) 88.9(3.50) 88.3(3.48) 70.2(2.76) 74.4(2.93) 64.9(2.56) 65.0(2.56) 842.0(33.15) Average snowfall cm (inches) 7.2(2.8) 7.2(2.8) 4.4(1.7) 0.6(0.2) 0.0(0.0) 0.0(0.0) 0.0(0.0) 0.0(0.0) 0.0(0.0) 0.1(0.0) 2.0(0.8) 7.6(3.0) 29.0(11.4) Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9.1 8.4 8.9 9.3 11.7 10.6 10.1 10.2 8.5 10.4 10.0 11.0 118.0 Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm) 2.8 2.1 1.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.7 2.3 9.3 Average relative humidity (%) 81 76 69 67 71 70 68 71 77 82 83 82 75 Mean monthly sunshine hours 64.5 85.2 134.6 167.4 185.6 211.9 234.9 216.5 160.1 107.0 65.4 54.2 1,687 Percentage possible sunshine 28 34 40 45 44 48 54 55 48 36 28 27 41 Source 1: NOAA Source 2: MeteoSwissKNMI
[edit] The city of Basel functions as the capital of the Swiss half-canton of Basel-Stadt. Canton[edit] The canton Basel-Stadt consists of three municipalities: Riehen, Bettingen, and the city Basel itself. The political structure and agencies of the city and the canton are identical. City[edit] Quarters[edit] The city itself has 19 quarters: Grossbasel (Greater Basel): 1 Altstadt Grossbasel 2 Vorstädte 3 Am Ring 4 Breite 5 St. Alban 6 Gundeldingen 7 Bruderholz 8 Bachletten 9 Gotthelf 10 Iselin 11 St. Johann Kleinbasel (Lesser Basel): 12 Altstadt Kleinbasel 13 Clara 14 Wettstein 15 Hirzbrunnen 16 Rosental 17 Matthäus 18 Klybeck 19 Kleinhüningen Government[edit] The city's and canton's executive, the Executive Council (Regierungsrat), consists of seven members for a mandate period of 4 years. They are elected by any inhabitant valid to vote on the same day as the parliament,[clarification needed] but by means of a system of Majorz,[clarification needed] and operates as a collegiate authority. The president (German: Regierungspräsident(in)) is elected as such by a public election, while the heads of the other departments are appointed by the collegiate. The current president is Beat Jans. The executive body holds its meetings in the red Town Hall (German: Rathaus) on the central Marktplatz. The building was built in 1504–14. As of 2021[update], Basel's Executive Council is made up of three representatives of the SP (Social Democratic Party) including the president, two LDP (Liberal-Demokratische Partei of Basel), and one member each of Green Liberals (glp), and CVP (Christian Democratic Party). The last election was held on 25 October and 29 November 2020 and four new members have been elected. The Regierungsrat of Basel for the mandate period 2021–25 Councillor (Regierungsrat/ -rätin) Party Head of Office (Departement, since) of elected since Beat Jans   SP President's Office (Präsidialdepartement (PD), 2021) 2020 Tanja Soland   SP Finance (Finanzdepartement (FD)) 2019 Stephanie Eymann   LDP Justice and Security (Justiz- und Sicherheitsdepartement (JSD), 2021) 2020 Kaspar Sutter   SP Economics, Social Services, and Environment (Departement für Wirtschaft, Soziales und Umwelt (WSU), 2021) 2020 Conradin Cramer   LDP Education (Erziehungsdepartement (ED), 2017) 2016 Esther Keller   glp Construction and Transportation (Bau- und Verkehrsdepartement (BVD), 2021) 2020 Lukas Engelberger   CVP Health (Gesundheitsdepartement (GD), June 2014) June 2014 ^ President (Regierungspräsident) Barbara Schüpbach-Guggenbühlis is State Chronicler (Staatsschreiberin) since 2009, and Marco Greiner is Head of Communication (Regierungssprecher) and Vice State Chronicler (Vizestaatsschreiber) since 2007 for the Executive Council. Parliament[edit] Grosser Rat of Basel for the mandate period of 2021–2025 SP (30.0%) GAB (18.0%) glp (8.00%) CVP (7.00%) EVP (3.00%) LDP (14.0%) FDP (7.00%) SVP (11.0%) AB (1.00%) VA (1.00%) The city's and canton's parliament, the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt (Grosser Rat), consists of 100 seats, with members (called in German: Grossrat/Grossrätin) elected every 4 years. The sessions of the Grand Council are public. Unlike the members of the Executive Council, the members of the Grand Council are not politicians by profession, but they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Basel allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the parliament. The delegates are elected by means of a system of Proporz. The legislative body holds its meetings in the red Town Hall (Rathaus). The last election was held on 25 October 2020 for the mandate period (Legislatur) of 2021–2025. As of 1 February 2021[update], the Grand Council consist of 30 (−5) members of the Social Democratic Party (SP), 18 (+5) Grün-Alternatives Bündnis (GAB) (a collaboration of the Green Party (GPS), its junior party, and Basels starke Alternative (BastA!)), 14 (−1) Liberal-Demokratische Partei (LDP), 11 (−4) members of the Swiss People's Party (SVP), 8 (+5) Green Liberal Party (glp), 7 (−3) The Liberals (FDP), 7 (-) Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP), 3 (+2) Evangelical People's Party (EVP), and one each representative of the Aktive Bettingen (AB) and Volks-Aktion gegen zuviele Ausländer und Asylanten in unserer Heimat (VA). The left parties missed an absolute majority by two seats. Federal elections[edit] National Council[edit] In the 2019 federal election the most popular party was the Social Democratic Party (SP) which received two seats with 34% (−1) of the votes. The next five most popular parties were the Green Party (GPS) (19.4%, +7.3), the LPS (14.5%, +3.6) and the FDP (5.8, −3.5), which are chained together at 20.3%, (+0.1), the SVP (11.3%, -5.5), and the Green Liberal Party (GLP) (5%, +0.6), CVP (4.1%, -1.9). In the federal election, a total of 44,628 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 49.4%. On 18 October 2015, in the federal election the most popular party was the Social Democratic Party (SP) which received two seats with 35% of the votes. The next three most popular parties were the FDP (20.2%), the SVP (16.8%), and the Green Party (GPS) (12.2%), each with one seat. In the federal election, a total of 57,304 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 50.4%. National Councillors (Nationalrat/ -rätin) of Basel-Town 2019–2023 Councillor Party part of the National Council since no. of votes Beat Jans   SP 2010 21,869 Mustafa Atici   SP 2019 18,210 Sibel Arslan   GPS 2015 13,582 Christoph Eymann   LDP 2015 (1991–2001) 13,220 Katja Christ   GLP 2019 13,816 Council of States[edit] On 20 October 2019, in the federal election Eva Herzog, member of the Social Democratic Party   (SP), was elected for the first time as a State Councillor (Ständerätin) in the first round as single representative of the canton of Basel-Town and successor of Anita Fetz in the national Council of States (Ständerat) with an absolute majority of 37'210 votes. On 18 October 2015, in the federal election State Councillor (German: Ständerätin) Anita Fetz, member of the Social Democratic Party   (SP), was re-elected in the first round as single representative of the canton of Basel-Town in the national Council of States (Ständerat) with an absolute majority of 35'842 votes. She has been a member of it since 2003. International relations[edit] Twin towns, sister cities and partner regions[edit] Basel has two sister cities and a twinning among two states: US state of Massachusetts, since 2002 Shanghai, China, since 2007 Toyama Prefecture, Japan, since 2009 Miami Beach, US, since 2011 Abidjan, Ivory Coast, since 2021 Seoul, South Korea, since 2022 Partner cities[edit] Rotterdam, Netherlands, since 1945
[edit] Largest groups of foreign residents 2021 Nationality Number % total(foreigners) Germany 16,562 8.2 (22.3) Italy 8,671 4.3 (11.7) Turkey 5,741 2.8 (7.7) Spain 4,176 2.0 (5.6) Portugal 3,390 1.7 (4.6) France 2,393 1.2 (3.2) Kosovo 2,186 1.1 (2.9) United Kingdom 2,132 1.1 (2.7) North Macedonia 2,095 1.0 (2.8) Serbia 1,797 0.9 (2.4) India 1,661 0.8 (2.2) USA 1,629 0.8 (2.2) Austria 1,273 0.6 (1.7) Historical populationYearPop.±%185027,844—    186038,692+39.0%187044,868+16.0%188061,737+37.6%188871,131+15.2%1900109,161+53.5%1910132,276+21.2%1920135,976+2.8%1930148,063+8.9%1941162,105+9.5%1950183,543+13.2%1960206,746+12.6%1970212,857+3.0%1980182,143−14.4%1990178,428−2.0%2000166,558−6.7%2010163,216−2.0%2020173,863+6.5%Source: The canton of Basel (slightly more than the city itself) has a population (As of 2021[update]) of 201,971, of whom 36.9% are resident foreign nationals. Over the 10 years of 1999–2009 the population has changed at a rate of −0.3%. It has changed at a rate of 3.2% due to migration and at a rate of −3% due to births and deaths. Of the population in the municipality 58,560 or about 35.2% were born in Basel and lived there in 2000. There were 1,396 or 0.8% who were born in the same canton, while 44,874 or 26.9% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 53,774 or 32.3% were born outside of Switzerland. In 2008[update] there were 898 live births to Swiss citizens and 621 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 1,732 deaths of Swiss citizens and 175 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 834 while the foreign population increased by 446. There were 207 Swiss men and 271 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 1756 non-Swiss men and 1655 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 278 and the non-Swiss population increased by 1138 people. This represents a population growth rate of 0.9%. As of 2000[update], there were 70,502 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 70,517 married individuals, 12,435 widows or widowers, and 13,104 individuals who are divorced. As of 2000[update] the average number of residents per living room was 0.59 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.58 per room. In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m2 (43 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics.: 18v  About 10.5% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have a mortgage or a rent-to-own agreement).: 17  As of 2000[update], there were 86,371 private households in the municipality, and an average of 1.8 persons per household. There were 44,469 households that consist of only one person and 2,842 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 88,646 households that answered this question, 50.2% were households made up of just one person and there were 451 adults who lived with their parents. Of the rest of the households, there are 20,472 married couples without children, 14,554 married couples with children There were 4,318 single parents with a child or children. There were 2,107 households that were made up of unrelated people and 2,275 households that were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing. In 2000[update] there were 5,747 single family homes (or 30.8% of the total) out of a total of 18,631 inhabited buildings. There were 7,642 multi-family buildings (41.0%), along with 4,093 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (22.0%) and 1,149 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (6.2%). Of the single family homes 1090 were built before 1919, while 65 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (3,474) were built between 1919 and 1945. In 2000[update] there were 96,640 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 3 rooms of which there were 35,958. There were 11,957 single room apartments and 9,702 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 84,675 apartments (87.6% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 7,916 apartments (8.2%) were seasonally occupied and 4,049 apartments (4.2%) were empty. As of 2009[update], the construction rate of new housing units was 2.6 new units per 1000 residents. As of 2003[update] the average price to rent an average apartment in Basel was 1118.60 Swiss francs (CHF) per month (US$890, £500, €720 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 602.27 CHF (US$480, £270, €390), a two-room apartment was about 846.52 CHF (US$680, £380, €540), a three-room apartment was about 1054.14 CHF (US$840, £470, €670) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 2185.24 CHF (US$1750, £980, €1400). The average apartment price in Basel was 100.2% of the national average of 1116 CHF. The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010[update], was 0.74%. Language[edit] In 2000, most of the population spoke German (129,592 or 77.8%), with Italian being second most common (9,049 or 5.4%) and French being third (4,280 or 2.6%). There were 202 people who spoke Romansh. Religion[edit] St. Paul's Church, a Reformed Church in Basel From the 2000 census[update], 41,916 or 25.2% were Roman Catholic, while 39,180 or 23.5% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. Of the rest of the population, there were 4,567 members of an Orthodox church (or about 2.74% of the population), 459 individuals (or about 0.28% of the population) who belonged to the Christian Catholic Church and 3,464 individuals (or about 2.08% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 12,368 individuals (or about 7.43% of the population) who were Muslim, 1,325 individuals (or about 0.80% of the population) who were Jewish, however only members of religious institutions are counted as such by the municipality, which makes the actual number of people of Jewish descent living in Basel considerably higher. There were 746 individuals who were Buddhist, 947 individuals who were Hindu and 485 individuals who belonged to another church. 52,321 (or about 31.41% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic or atheist, and 8,780 individuals (or about 5.27% of the population) did not answer the question.
[edit] Quarters[edit] Basel is subdivided into 19 quarters (Quartiere). The municipalities of Riehen and Bettingen, outside the city limits of Basel, are included in the canton of Basel-Stadt as rural quarters (Landquartiere). Quartier Area Population (March 2012) Population density (people/km2) Altstadt Grossbasel (historic city) 37.63 2,044 5,431.8 Vorstädte (historical suburbs) 89.66 4,638 5,172.9 Am Ring 90.98 10,512 11,554.2 Breite 68.39 8,655 12,655.4 St. Alban 294.46 10,681 3,633 Gundeldingen 123.19 18,621 15,140 Bruderholz 259.61 9,006 3,477 Bachletten 151.39 13,330 8,830 Gotthelf 46.62 6,784 14,551.7 Iselin 109.82 16,181 14,840 St. Johann 223.90 18,560 8,323 Altstadt Kleinbasel (historic city) 24.21 2,276 9,401 Clara 23.66 4,043 17,088 Wettstein 75.44 5,386 7,139.4 Hirzbrunnen 305.32 8,676 2,845 Rosental 64.33 5,180 8,052 Mattäus 59.14 16,056 27,149.1 Klybeck 91.19 7,234 7,932.9 Kleinhüningen 136.11 2,772 2,038 City of Basel 2275.05 178,120 7,847 Bettingen 222.69 1,248 567 Riehen 1086.10 21,788 2,017 Canton of Basel-Stadt 3583.84 201,156 5,619 Transport[edit] Port[edit] See also: Merchant Marine of Switzerland The Rhine in Basel as Switzerland's gateway to the sea Basel has Switzerland's only cargo port, through which goods pass along the navigable stretches of the Rhine and connect to ocean-going ships at the port of Rotterdam. Air transport[edit] EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg is operated jointly by two countries, France and Switzerland, although the airport is located completely on French soil. The airport itself is split into two architecturally independent sectors, one half serving the French side and the other half serving the Swiss side; prior to Schengen there was an immigration inspection point at the middle of the airport so that people could "emigrate" to the other side of the airport. Railways[edit] Basel SBB station, built in 1907 Basel was the first Swiss city with a railway station and it has long held an important place as a rail hub. Three main railway stations—those of the Swiss, French and German networks—lie within the city, although the Swiss (Basel SBB) and French (Bâle SNCF) stations are actually in the same complex, separated by customs and immigration facilities. The German Basel Badischer Bahnhof (abbreviated to Basel Bad Bf) is on the northern side of the city. Two other, smaller stations within the city limits are Basel Dreispitz and Basel St. Johann. All stations are connected to the local tram and bus network (BVB). Basel's regional rail services are supplied by the Basel S-Bahn, which links the city with destinations in Switzerland, France and Germany. Most long-distance trains call at Basel SBB station, such as EC, TGV, ICE, IC and IR services. The ICE also calls at Basel Bad Bf. The new high-speed ICE railway line from Karlsruhe to Basel was completed in 2008 while phase I of the TGV Rhine-Rhône line, opened in December 2011, has reduced travel time from Basel to Paris to about 3 hours. The largest goods railway complex of the country is located just outside the city, spanning the municipalities of Muttenz and Pratteln. Roads[edit] Basel is located on the A3 motorway. Within the city limits, five bridges connect Greater and Lesser Basel (downstream): Schwarzwaldbrücke (built 1972) Wettsteinbrücke (current structure built 1998, original bridge built 1879) Mittlere Rheinbrücke (lit. 'Middle Rhine bridge', current structure built 1905, original bridge built 1225 as the first bridge to cross the Rhine) Johanniterbrücke (built 1967) Dreirosenbrücke (built 2004, original bridge built 1935) Ferries[edit] A somewhat anachronistic yet still widely used system of reaction ferry boats links the two shores. There are four ferries, each situated approximately midway between two bridges. Each is attached by a cable to a block that rides along another cable spanning the river at a height of 20 to 30 metres (66 to 98 feet). To cross the river, the ferryman orients the boat around 45° from the current so that the current pushes the boat across the river. This form of transportation is therefore completely hydraulically driven, requiring no outside energy source. Home/Aktuell – Fähri Verein Basel Cable ferry across the Rhine in Basel Public transport[edit] Basel tram network Basel has an extensive public transportation network serving the city and connecting to surrounding suburbs, including a large tram network. Today, Basel has the largest tramway in terms of kilometers of rail tracks in Switzerland. Historically, only Geneva had a larger one at some point. The green-colored local trams and buses are operated by the Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (BVB). The yellow-colored buses and trams are operated by the Baselland Transport (BLT), and connect areas in the nearby half-canton of Baselland to central Basel. The BVB also shares commuter bus lines in cooperation with transit authorities in the neighboring Alsace region in France and Baden region in Germany. The Basel Regional S-Bahn, the commuter rail network connecting to suburbs surrounding the city, is jointly operated by SBB, SNCF and DB. Border crossings[edit] Basel is located at the meeting point of France, Germany, and Switzerland; because it sits on the Swiss national border and is beyond the Jura Mountains, many within the Swiss military reportedly believe that the city is indefensible during wartime. It has numerous road and rail crossings between Switzerland and the other two countries. With Switzerland joining the Schengen Area on 12 December 2008, immigration checks were no longer carried out at the crossings. However, Switzerland did not join the European Union Customs Union (though it did join the EU Single Market) and customs checks are still conducted at or near the crossings. Tram in the city centre (Bankverein) France-Switzerland (from east to west) Road crossings (with French road name continuation) Kohlenstrasse (Avenue de Bâle, Huningue). This crossing replaces the former crossing Hüningerstrasse further east. Elsässerstrasse (Avenue de Bâle, Saint-Louis) Autobahn A3 (A35 autoroute, Saint-Louis), crossing Mulhouse, Colmar and Strasbourg. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg – pedestrian walkway between the French and Swiss sections on Level 3 (departures) of airport. Burgfelderstrasse (Rue du 1er Mars, Saint Louis) Railway crossing Basel SBB railway station Germany-Switzerland (clockwise, from north to south) Road crossings (with German road name continuation) Hiltalingerstrasse (Zollstraße, Weil am Rhein). Tram 8 goes along this road to Weil am Rhein. The extension opened in 2014; it used to end before the border. Autobahn A2 (Autobahn A5, Weil am Rhein) Freiburgerstrasse (Baslerstraße, Weil am Rhein) Weilstrasse, Riehen (Haupstraße, Weil am Rhein) Lörracherstrasse, Riehen (Baslerstraße, Stetten, Lörrach) Inzlingerstrasse, Riehen (Riehenstraße, Inzlingen) Grenzacherstrasse (Hörnle, Grenzach-Wyhlen) Railway crossing Between Basel SBB and Basel Badischer Bahnhof – Basel Badischer Bahnhof, and all other railway property and stations on the right bank of the Rhine belong to DB and are classed as German customs territory. Immigration and customs checks are conducted at the platform exit tunnel for passengers leaving trains here. Additionally there are many footpaths and cycle tracks crossing the border between Basel and Germany. Health[edit] University Children's Hospital Basel As the biggest town in the Northwest of Switzerland numerous public and private health centres are located in Basel. Among others the Universitätsspital Basel and the Universitätskinderspital Basel. Private health centres include the Bethesda Spital and the Merian Iselin Klinik. Additionally the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute is located in Basel too. Energy[edit] Basel is at the forefront of a national vision to more than halve energy use in Switzerland by 2050. To research, develop and commercialise the technologies and techniques required for the country to become a 2000 Watt society, a number of projects have been set up since 2001 in the Basel metropolitan area. These include demonstration buildings constructed to Minergie or Passivhaus standards, electricity generation from renewable energy sources, and vehicles using natural gas, hydrogen and biogas. A building construction law was passed in 2002 also which stated that all new flat roofs must be greened leading to Basel becoming the world's leading green roof city. This was driven by an energy saving programme. A hot dry rock geothermal energy project was cancelled in 2009 since it caused induced seismicity in Basel.
[edit] Novartis Campus Basel The city of Basel, located in the north west of Switzerland, is one of the most dynamic economic regions of Switzerland. As of 2016[update], Basel had an unemployment rate of 3.7%. As of 2018[update], 19.3% of the working population was employed in the secondary sector and 80.6% was employed in the tertiary sector. There were 82,449 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which women made up 46.2% of the workforce.[citation needed] In 2008[update] the total number of full-time equivalent jobs was 130,988. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 13, of which 10 were in agriculture and 4 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 33,171 of which 24,848 or (74.9%) were in manufacturing, 10 were in mining and 7,313 (22.0%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 97,804. In the tertiary sector; 12,880 or 13.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 11,959 or 12.2% were in the movement and storage of goods, 6,120 or 6.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 4,186 or 4.3% were in the information industry, 10,752 or 11.0% were the insurance or financial industry, 13,695 or 14.0% were technical professionals or scientists, 6,983 or 7.1% were in education and 16,060 or 16.4% were in health care. In 2000[update], there were 121,842 workers who commuted into the municipality and 19,263 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 6.3 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. About 23.9% of the workforce coming into Basel are coming from outside Switzerland, while 1.0% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work. Of the working population, 49.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 18.7% used a private car. Roche Tower, the tallest building in Switzerland The first Roche Tower, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, is 41 floors and 178 metres (584 ft) high, upon its opening in 2015 it has become the tallest building in Switzerland. Roche Tower-2 was opened in 2022, has 50 floors and is Switzerland's tallest building. Basel has also Switzerland's third tallest building (Basler Messeturm, 105 m (344 ft)) and Switzerland's tallest tower (St. Chrischona TV tower, 250 m (820 ft)). Chemical industry[edit] The Swiss chemical industry operates largely from Basel, and Basel also has a large pharmaceutical industry. Novartis, Syngenta, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant, Hoffmann-La Roche, Basilea Pharmaceutica, and Actelion are headquartered there. Pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals have become the modern focus of the city's industrial production. In addition, Basel is a major European hub for Biotech and Biopharmaceuticals. There are plenty of small and mid-sized start-ups. The vibrant VC scene also supports this. Banking[edit] Banking is important to Basel: UBS maintains central offices in Basel. The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is located within the city and is the central banker's bank. According to the BIS, "The choice of Switzerland for the seat of the BIS was a compromise by those countries that established the BIS: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. When consensus could not be reached on locating the Bank in London, Brussels or Amsterdam, the choice fell on Switzerland. An independent, neutral country, Switzerland offered the BIS less exposure to undue influence from any of the major powers. Within Switzerland, Basel was chosen largely because of its location, with excellent railway connections in all directions, especially important at a time when most international travel was by train." Created in May 1930, the BIS is owned by its member central banks. No agent of the Swiss public authorities may enter the premises without the express consent of the bank. The bank exercises supervision and police power over its premises. The BIS enjoys immunity from criminal and administrative jurisdiction. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision usually meets at the BIS premises in Basel. It produces recommendations such as the Basel Accords (Basel I, Basel II and Basel III), based on consensus among its members which are central banks and banking supervisors. Basel also hosts the headquarters of the Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation, which is active in the field of sustainable infrastructure (financing). Air[edit] Swiss International Air Lines, the national airline of Switzerland, is headquartered on the grounds of EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin, France, near Basel. Prior to the formation of Swiss International Air Lines, the regional airline Crossair was headquartered near Basel. Art Basel (2009) Media[edit] Basler Zeitung ("BaZ") and bz Basel are the local newspapers. The local TV station is called Telebasel. The German-speaking Swiss Radio and Television SRF company, part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR, holds offices in Basel as well. The academic publishers Birkhäuser, Karger and MDPI are based in Basel. Trade fairs[edit] Important trade shows include Art Basel, the world's most important fair for modern and contemporary art, Baselworld (watches and jewelry, now discontinued), Swissbau (construction and real estate) and Igeho (hotels, catering, take-away, care). The Swiss Sample Fair ("Schweizer Mustermesse") was the largest and oldest consumer fair in Switzerland. It was held from 2007 to 2019 and took place in Kleinbasel on the right bank of the Rhine.
[edit] Besides Humanism, the city of Basel has also been well known for its achievements in the field of mathematics. Among others, the mathematician Leonhard Euler and the Bernoulli family have done research and been teaching at the local institutions for centuries. In 1910 the Swiss Mathematical Society was founded in the city and in the mid-twentieth century the Russian mathematician Alexander Ostrowski taught at the local university. In 2000 about 57,864 or (34.7%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 27,603 or (16.6%) have completed additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule). Of the 27,603 who completed tertiary schooling, 44.4% were Swiss men, 31.1% were Swiss women, 13.9% were non-Swiss men and 10.6% were non-Swiss women. In 2010 11,912 students attended the University of Basel (55% female). 25% were foreign nationals, 16% were from canton of Basel-Stadt. In 2006, 6162 students studied at one of the nine academies of the FHNW (51% female). As of 2000[update], there were 5,820 students in Basel who came from another municipality, while 1,116 residents attended schools outside the municipality. Universities[edit] Inauguration ceremony of the University of Basel, 1460 Basel hosts Switzerland's oldest university, the University of Basel, dating from 1460. Erasmus, Paracelsus, Daniel Bernoulli, Leonhard Euler, Jacob Burckhardt, Friedrich Nietzsche, Tadeusz Reichstein, Karl Jaspers, Carl Gustav Jung, and Karl Barth worked there. The University of Basel is currently counted among the 90 best educational institutions worldwide. In 2007, the ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich) established the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) in Basel. The creation of the D-BSSE was driven by a Swiss-wide research initiative SystemsX, and was jointly supported by funding from the ETH Zürich, the Swiss Government, the Swiss University Conference (SUC) and private industry. Basel also hosts several academies of the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW): the FHNW Academy of Art and Design, FHNW Academy of Music, and the FHNW School of Business. Basel is renowned for various scientific societies, such as the Entomological Society of Basel (Entomologische Gesellschaft Basel, EGB), which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005. Volksschule[edit] In 2005 16,939 pupils and students attended the Volksschule (the obligatory school time, including Kindergarten (127), primary schools (Primarschule, 25), and lower secondary schools (Sekundarschule, 10), of which 94% visited public schools and 39.5% were foreign nationals. In 2010 already 51.1% of all pupils spoke another language than German as their first language. In 2009 3.1% of the pupils visited special classes for pupils with particular needs. The average amount of study in primary school in Basel is 816 teaching hours per year. Upper secondary school[edit] In 2010 65% of the youth finished their upper secondary education with a vocational training and education, 18% finished their upper secondary education with a Federal Matura at one of the five gymnasiums, 5% completed a Fachmaturität at the FMS, 5% completed a Berufsmaturität synchronously to their vocational training, and 7% other kind of upper secondary maturity. 14.1% of all students at public gymnasiums were foreign nationals. The Maturity quota in 2010 was on a record high at 28.8% (32.8 female, 24.9% male). The Gymnasium Leonhard Basel has five public gymnasiums (Gymnasium Bäumlihof [de], Gymnasium Kirschgarten [de], Gymnasium am Münsterplatz [de], Gymnasium Leonhard [de], Wirtschaftsgymnasium und Wirtschaftsmittelschule Basel [de]), each with its own profiles (different focus on major subjects, such as visual design, biology and chemistry, Italian, Spanish, or Latin languages, music, physics and applied mathematics, philosophy/education/psychology, and economics and law) that entitles students with a successful Matura graduation to attend universities. And one Fachmaturitätsschule, the FMS, with six different major subjects (health/natural sciences, education, social work, design/art, music/theatre/dance, and communication/media) that entitles students with a successful Fachmatura graduation to attend Fachhochschulen. Four different höhere Fachschulen (higher vocational schools such as Bildungszentrum Gesundheit Basel-Stadt (health), Allgemeine Gewerbeschule Basel (trade), Berufsfachschule Basel, Schule für Gestaltung Basel (design)) allows vocational students to improve their knowledge and know-how. International schools[edit] As a city with a percentage of foreigners of more than thirty-five per cent and as one of the most important centres in the chemical and pharmaceutical field in the world, Basel counts several international schools including: Academia International School, École Française de Bâle, Freies Gymnasium Basel (private), Gymnasium am Münsterplatz (public), Schweizerisch-italienische Primarschule Sandro Pertini, International School Basel, BLIS Baselland International School, and SIS Swiss International School. Libraries[edit] Basel is home to at least 65 libraries. Some of the largest include; the Universitätsbibliothek Basel (main university library), the special libraries of the University of Basel, the Allgemein Bibliotheken der Gesellschaft für Gutes und Gemeinnütziges (GGG) Basel, the Library of the Pädagogische Hochschule, the Library of the Hochschule für Soziale Arbeit and the Library of the Hochschule für Wirtschaft. There was a combined total (as of 2008[update]) of 8,443,643 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year a total of 1,722,802 items were loaned out.
[edit] Main sights[edit] The red sandstone Münster, one of the foremost late-Romanesque/early Gothic buildings in the Upper Rhine, was badly damaged in the great earthquake of 1356, rebuilt in the 14th and 15th century, extensively reconstructed in the mid-19th century and further restored in the late 20th century. A memorial to Erasmus lies inside the Münster. The City Hall from the 16th century is located on the Market Square and is decorated with fine murals on the outer walls and on the walls of the inner court. Tinguely's Carnival Fountain (Fasnachtsbrunnen) Basel is also host to an array of buildings by internationally renowned architects. These include the Beyeler Foundation by Renzo Piano, or the Vitra complex in nearby Weil am Rhein, composed of buildings by architects such as Zaha Hadid (fire station), Frank Gehry (Design Museum), Álvaro Siza Vieira (factory building), and Tadao Ando (conference centre). Basel also features buildings by Mario Botta (Jean Tinguely Museum and Bank of International settlements) and Herzog & de Meuron (whose architectural practice is in Basel, and who are best known as the architects of Tate Modern in London and the Bird's Nest in Beijing, the Olympia stadium, which was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics). The city received the Wakker Prize in 1996. Heritage sites[edit] Basel features a great number of heritage sites of national significance. These include the entire Old Town of Basel as well as the following buildings and collections: Elisabethenkirche (inside) Churches and monasteries Old Catholic Prediger Kirche (church), Bischofshof with Collegiate church at Rittergasse 1, Domhof at Münsterplatz 10–12, former Carthusian House of St Margarethental, Catholic Church of St Antonius, Lohnhof (former Augustinians Collegiate Church), Mission 21, Archive of the Evangelisches Missionswerk Basel, Münster of Basel (cathedral), Reformed Elisabethenkirche (church), Reformed Johanneskirche (church), Reformed Leonhardskirche (church, former Augustinians Abbey), Reformed Martinskirche (church), Reformed Pauluskirche (church), Reformed Peterskirche (church), Reformed St. Albankirche (church) with cloister and cemetery, Reformed Theodorskirche (church), Synagoge at Eulerstrasse 2 Secular buildings Wildt'sches Haus, Petersplatz Badischer Bahnhof (German Baden's railway station) with fountain, Bank for International Settlements, Blaues Haus (Reichensteinerhof) at Rheinsprung 16, Bruderholzschule (school house) at Fritz-Hauser-Strasse 20, Brunschwiler Haus at Hebelstrasse 15, Bahnhof Basel SBB (Swiss railway station), Bürgerspital (hospital), Café Spitz (Merianflügel), Coop Schweiz company's central archive, Depot of the Archäologischen Bodenforschung des Kanton Basel-Stadt, former Gallizian Paper Mill and Swiss Museum of Paper, former Klingental-Kaserne (casern) with Klingentaler Kirche (church), Fasnachtsbrunnen (fountain), Feuerschützenhaus (guild house of the riflemen) at Schützenmattstrasse 56, Fischmarktbrunnen (fountain), Geltenzunft at Marktplatz 13, Gymnasium am Kohlenberg (St Leonhard) (school), Hauptpost (main post office), Haus zum Raben at Aeschenvorstadt 15, Hohenfirstenhof at Rittergasse 19, Holsteinerhof at Hebelstrasse 30, Markgräflerhof a former palace of the margraves of Baden-Durlach, Mittlere Rhein Brücke (Central Rhine Bridge), Stadtcasino (music hall) at Steinenberg 14, Ramsteinerhof at Rittergasse 7 and 9, Rathaus (town hall), Rundhof building of the Schweizerischen Mustermesse, Safranzunft at Gerbergasse 11, Sandgrube at Riehenstrasse 154, Schlösschen (Manor house) Gundeldingen, Schönes Haus and Schöner Hof at Nadelberg 6, Wasgenring school house, Seidenhof with painting of Rudolf von Habsburg, Spalenhof at Spalenberg 12, Spiesshof at Heuberg 7, city walls, Townhouse (former post office) at Stadthausgasse 13 / Totengässlein 6, Weisses Haus at Martinsgasse 3, Wildt'sches Haus at Petersplatz 13, Haus zum Neuen Singer at Speiserstrasse 98, Wolfgottesacker at Münchensteinerstrasse 99, Zerkindenhof at Nadelberg 10. Archaeological sites The Celtic Settlement at Gasfabrik, Münsterhügel and Altstadt (historical city, late La Tène and medieval settlement). Museums, archives and collections Basel calls itself the Cultural Capital of Switzerland. Among others, there is the Anatomical Museum of the University Basel, Berri-Villen and Museum of Ancient Art Basel and Ludwig Collection, Former Franciscan Barefoot Order Church and Basel Historical Museum, Company Archive of Novartis, Haus zum Kirschgarten which is part of the Basel Historical Museum, Historic Archive Roche and Industrial Complex Hoffmann-La Roche, Jewish Museum of Switzerland, Caricature & Cartoon Museum Basel, Karl Barth-Archive, Kleines Klingental (Lower Klingen Valley) with Museum Klingental, Art Museum of Basel, hosting the world's oldest art collection accessible to the public, Natural History Museum of Basel and the Museum of Cultures Basel, Museum of Modern Art Basel with the E. Hoffmann collection, Museum Jean Tinguely Basel, Music Museum, Pharmacy Historical Museum of the University of Basel, Poster Collection of the School for Design (Schule für Gestaltung), Swiss Business Archives, Sculpture Hall, Sports Museum of Switzerland, Archives of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, UBS AG Corporate Archives, University Library with manuscripts and music collection, Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten). Theatre and music[edit] Metro decor for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Basel is the home of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, founded in 1933, a worldwide centre for research on and performance of music from the Medieval through the Baroque eras. Theater Basel, chosen in 1999 as the best stage for German-language performances and in 2009 and 2010 as "Opera house of the year" by German opera magazine Opernwelt, presents a busy schedule of plays in addition to being home to the city's opera and ballet companies. Basel is home to the largest orchestra in Switzerland, the Sinfonieorchester Basel. It is also the home of the Basel Sinfonietta and the Kammerorchester Basel, which recorded the complete symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven for the Sony label, led by its music director Giovanni Antonini. The Schola Cantorum and the Basler Kammerorchester were both founded by the conductor Paul Sacher, who went on to commission works by many leading composers. The Paul Sacher Foundation, opened in 1986, houses a major collection of manuscripts, including the entire Igor Stravinsky archive. The baroque orchestras La Cetra and Capriccio Basel are also based in Basel. In May 2004, the fifth European Festival of Youth Choirs (Europäisches Jugendchorfestival, or EJCF) opened; this Basel tradition started in 1992. Host of the festival is the local Basel Boys Choir. In 1997, Basel contended to become the "European Capital of Culture", though the honor went to Thessaloniki. In 2025, Basel hosted the Eurovision Song Contest at St. Jakobshalle, becoming the third Swiss city to host the competition after Lugano in 1956 and Lausanne in 1989. Museums[edit] The Kunstmuseum Basel, oldest public museum of art in Europe The Basel museums cover a broad and diverse spectrum of collections with a marked concentration in the fine arts. They house numerous holdings of international significance. The over three dozen institutions yield an extraordinarily high density of museums compared to other cities of similar size and draw over one million visitors annually. Constituting an essential component of Basel culture and cultural policy, the museums are the result of closely interwoven private and public collecting activities and promotion of arts and culture going back to the 16th century. The public museum collection was first created back in 1661 and represents the oldest public collection in continuous existence in Europe. Since the late 1980s, various private collections have been made accessible to the public in new purpose-built structures that have been recognized as acclaimed examples of avant-garde museum architecture. The Fondation Beyeler by Renzo Piano, located in Riehen Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig Ancient cultures of the Mediterranean museum Augusta Raurica Roman open-air museum Basel Paper Mill (German: Basler Papiermühle) Beyeler Foundation (Foundation Beyeler) Botanical Garden Basel Caricature & Cartoon Museum Basel (German: Karikatur & Cartoon Museum Basel) Dollhouse Museum (German: Puppenhausmuseum) a museum housing the largest teddy bear collection in Europe. Foundation Fernet Branca (French: Fondation Fernet Branca) in Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin near Basel. Modern art collection. Historical Museum Basel (German: Historisches Museum Basel) Kunsthalle Basel Modern and contemporary art museum Kunstmuseum Basel Upper Rhenish and Flemish paintings, drawings from 1400 to 1600 and 19th- to 21st-century art Monteverdi Automuseum Museum of Cultures Basel (German: Museum der Kulturen Basel) Large collections on European and non-European cultural life Museum of Contemporary Art Art from the 1960s up to the present Music Museum (German: Musikmuseum) of the Basel Historic Museum Natural History Museum of Basel (German: Naturhistorisches Museum Basel) Pharmazie-Historisches Museum der Universität Basel Schaulager Modern and contemporary art museum Swiss Architecture Museum (German: Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum) Tinguely Museum Life and work of the major Swiss iron sculptor Jean Tinguely Jewish Museum of Switzerland Events[edit] The city of Basel is a centre for numerous fairs and events all year round. One of the most important fairs for contemporary art worldwide is the Art Basel which was founded in 1970 by Ernst Beyeler and takes place in June each year. Baselworld, the watch and jewellery show (Uhren- und Schmuckmesse) one of the biggest fairs of its kind in Europe is held every year as well, and attracts a great number of tourists and dealers to the city. Live marketing company and fair organizer MCH Group has its head office in Basel. Top Secret Drum Corps at the 2009 Basel Tattoo The carnival of the city of Basel (Basler Fasnacht) is a major cultural event in the year. The carnival is the biggest in Switzerland and attracts large crowds every year, despite the fact that it starts at exactly four o'clock in the morning (Morgestraich) on a winter Monday. The Fasnacht asserts Basel's Protestant history by commencing the revelry five days after Ash Wednesday and continuing exactly 72 hours. Almost all study and work in the old city cease. Dozens of fife and drum clubs parade in medieval guild tradition with fantastical masks and illuminated lanterns. Basel Tattoo, founded in 2006 by the local Top Secret Drum Corps, has grown to be the world's second largest military tattoo in terms of performers and budget after the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Basel Tattoo annual parade, with an estimated 125,000 visitors, is considered the largest event in Basel. The event is now sponsored by the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), making it the official military tattoo of Switzerland. Cuisine[edit] There are a number of culinary specialties originating in Basel, including Basler Läckerli cookies and Mässmogge candies. Being located in the meeting place between Switzerland, France and Germany the culinary landscape as a whole is very varied and diverse, making it a city with a great number of restaurants of all sorts. Zoo[edit] The Antelope House at Zoo Basel Zoo Basel is, with over 1.7 million visitors per year, the most visited tourist attraction in Basel and the second most visited tourist attraction in Switzerland. Established in 1874, Zoo Basel is the oldest zoo in Switzerland and, by number of animals, the largest. Through its history, Zoo Basel has had several breeding successes, such as the first worldwide Indian rhinoceros birth and Greater flamingo hatch in a zoo. These and other achievements led Forbes Travel to rank Zoo Basel as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world in 2008. Despite its international fame, Basel's population remains attached to Zoo Basel, which is entirely surrounded by the city of Basel. Evidence of this is the millions of donations money each year, as well as Zoo Basel's unofficial name: locals lovingly call "their" zoo "Zolli" by which is it known throughout Basel and most of Switzerland. Sport[edit] St. Jakob-Park Amongst its major sports venues, Basel features a large football stadium that has been awarded four stars by UEFA, a modern ice hockey arena, and a sports hall. The football club FC Basel is successful and in recognition of this the city was one of the Swiss venues for the 2008 European Championships, along with Geneva, Zürich and Bern. The championships were jointly hosted by Switzerland and Austria. BSC Old Boys and Concordia Basel are the other football teams in Basel. Among the most popular sports in Switzerland is ice hockey. Basel is home to EHC Basel, who play in the Swiss League (SL), the second tier of the Swiss ice hockey league system. They play their home games in the 6,700-seater St. Jakob Arena. The team previously played in the National League but filed for bankruptcy after the 2013–14 Swiss League season. Basketball has a very small but faithful fan base. The top division, called the SBL, is a semi-professional league and has one team from the Basel region, the "Birstal Starwings". As in most European countries, but unlike the U.S., Switzerland has a club-based rather than a school-based competition system. The Starwings Basel are the only first division basketball team in German-speaking Switzerland. A large indoor tennis event takes place in Basel every October. Some of the best ATP-professionals play every year at the Swiss Indoors, previously including Switzerland's biggest sporting hero Roger Federer, a Basel native who describes the city as "one of the most beautiful cities in the world". In July 2022, the women's water polo players of the WSV Basel secured their 11th national championship title. Basel GAA, a Gaelic games club, is also located in Basel. Basel Dragons AFC have been playing Australian Football in the AFL Switzerland league since 2019. The annual Basel Rhine Swim draws several thousand visitors to the city to swim in or float on the Rhine. The headquarters of the IHF (International Handball Federation) is located in Basel.
[edit] Notable people who were born or grew up in Basel: Gaspard Bauhin (1560–1624), botanist and anatomist Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593–1650), engraver Johannes Buxtorf II (1599–1664), Protestant Christian Hebraist Johannes Jakob Buxtorf (1645–1705), professor of Hebrew Jacob Bernoulli (1654–1705), mathematician Johann Bernoulli (1667–1748), mathematician Johann Jakob Wettstein (1693–1754), theologian and New Testament critic Daniel Bernoulli (1700–1782), mathematician and physicist, best known for his work in fluid dynamics, see Bernoulli's principle Maximilian Ulysses Browne (1705–1757), Austrian field marshal Leonhard Euler (1707–1783), mathematician, physicist and astronomer Johann Peter Hebel (1760–1826), German short story writer, poet and Lutheran theologian Johann Jakob Herzog (1805–1882), Swiss-German Protestant theologian Jacob Burckhardt (1818–1897), historian of art and culture Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901), symbolist painter Friedrich Miescher (1844–1895), physician and biologist, the first scientist to isolate nucleic acid Rudolf G. Binding (1867–1938), German writer Karl Barth (1886–1968), Swiss Reformed theologian, best known for his involvement with the Confessing Church and Christian resistance to Hitler Bruno Manser (born 1954), activitist who disappeared or died in 2005 Richard J. Baer (1892–1940), physicist Véronique Filozof (1904–1977), painter Clara Thalmann (1908–1987), journalist, athlete, and militiawoman Harry Goldschmidt (1910–1986), musicologist Rudy Burckhardt (1914–1999), American filmmaker and photographer Avraham Yaakov Finkel (1926–2016), author Arthur Cohn (born 1927), film producer and multiple Academy Award winner Marion Wiesel (born Mary Renate Erster; 1931–2025), Austrian-American Holocaust survivor, humanitarian, and translator Christa de Carouge (1936–2018), fashion designer Peter Zumthor (born 1943), architect Margrith von Felten (born 1944), politician and lawyer Heidi Köpfer (born 1954), choreographer, dancer and video artist Carlo Strenger (1958–2019), Swiss-Israeli psychologist, philosopher, existential psychoanalyst, and public intellectual Christina Surer (born 1974), racing driver Antoine Konrad (born 1975), DJ and record producer, known as DJ Antoine Martina Gmür (born 1979), visual artist Roger Federer (born 1981), professional tennis player Granit Xhaka (born 1992), professional footballer with 100 caps with Switzerland Fina Girard (born 2001), politician and youth climate activist
[edit] St. Alban Gate Rathaus, Basel's Town Hall Protestant Cathedral University of Basel (est. in 1460) and Martinskirche Gemsberg Barfüsserplatz Münsterplatz Wettsteinbrücke Global seat of the Bank for International Settlements Haus zum Kirschgarten Spalentor People swimming in the Rhine Freie Strasse Helvetia statue Townhouses (early 20th century) Urban mansion (early 20th century)
[edit] Notes[edit] ^ French: Bâle [bɑl]; Italian: Basilea [baziˈlɛːa]; Romansh: Basilea [baziˈleːɐ] ⓘ, Sutsilvan: Basileia. ^ The official language in all municipalities in German-speaking Switzerland is German, where 'German' is used as an umbrella term for all varieties of German. By law, one may communicate with the authorities using any variant of German, in written or oral form. However, the authorities will always use Swiss Standard German (the Swiss variety of Standard German) in documents and writing. Orally, they would use either Hochdeutsch (i.e., Swiss Standard German or what the particular speaker considers High German), or a dialectal variant depending on the speaker's origin. ^ Since Eva Herzog also got elected as a State Councillor, she got replaced by Mustafa Atici of the same party. References[edit] ^ "Arealstatistik Standard - Gemeinden nach 4 Hauptbereichen" (in German). Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved 13 January 2019. ^ City chief of staff. 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