Basel Sightseeing

Basel is visited typically for its museums and world-class shopping. There is more here to be seen however, in some of the city’s historically-significant buildings and monuments, such as its striking red sandstone cathedral and town hall.

Münster (Cathedral)
Dating back to 1019, this Basel landmark towers over the Old Town. It was levelled by an earthquake in 1356 and later rebuilt in Gothic and Romanesque styles, with a roof of green and yellow tiles added. Its façade is lavishly decorated with depictions of characters that include virgins to prophets. Since 1529, the cathedral has been the seat of the Evangelical Reformed church. There are numerous features that are worth noting including: the pulpit, carved from a single block of stone in the mid-15th century, an 11th century bas-relief along the south aisle and a pillar slab in honour of Erasmus, who died in this city in 1536.

Rathaus (Town Hall)
The Basel town hall was built at the beginning of the 16th century at the Marktplatz and the red sandstone structure now dominates this square in the centre of the city. The oldest parts of the façade clearly show Renaissance and Gothic features, comprising its clock, golden turret and its three arched entrances while the chancery was added at the beginning of the 17th century. You’ll also note that the exterior is decorated with shields representing ancient city guilds and with numerous frescoes. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Market Square was re-designed and the town hall received an oriel tower, crowned by the bartizan, which symbolises the citizens’ claim to power.

University of Basel
This University is one of Switzerland’s oldest academic institutions, having been founded in 1460 and established by a charter signed by Pope Pius II. The campus is located to the south of the Petersplatz and contains a number of lovely buildings, one of the most noteworthy is the university library, which houses works by Erasmus, Martin Luther and Zwingli and a collection of rare manuscripts.

Spalentor (Spalen Gate)
The Spalen Gate is situated to the west of the University of Basel and marks the end of the city’s medieval sector. Built in the early 15th century, it's one of the loveliest gates standing in Switzerland, featuring a pointed roof and twin towers with battlements. The gate was restored significantly during the 19th century.

Dreiländereck (Three Countries' Corner)
The pylon marking the spot where France, Germany and Switzerland meet is one of the more unusual of the city’s attractions. It actually juts out into the Rhine and if you walk around you’ll cross from Switzerland into Germany and then into France, in a very few steps (no passport required). This is a popular spot for many visitors to have their photo taken.

Middle Rhine Bridge
At one time, and for a number of centuries, this bridge served as a catwalk for Basel’s traditional festivals. Constructed in 1225, it is the city’s most historically-important bridge, which today sees significant river boat and barge traffic crossing from one bank of the Rhine to the other.

Be entertained at the Karikatur and Cartoon Museum is quite a unique destination, particularly as the museum itself comprises a number of reconstructed buildings having a Gothic-appearing exterior. The uniqueness continues inside with the exhibits of cartoons and caricatures dating from the early 20th century to present day.

Cruise along the Rhine River. This is an important waterway, not only for the city of Basel, but for much of Europe as well: it winds its way through a number of important cities before reaching Basel. Cruises along the Rhine River that include a stop in Basel are a favourite with many visitors to the region; and locally, the Basler Personenschiffahrt operates daytime and evening cruises – with the latter featuring dinner and live entertainment on board.

Explore Basel Old Town on foot and see most of the city’s medieval attractions in the relatively small area between the zoo and the Rhine River. Sundays are a good time to do this as many museums are open, but the shops are closed meaning smaller crowds in the area. There are more than enough museums to keep you occupied for the day, and late in the afternoon a number of them feature free admission during their last opening hour.

Take in a football match at the New St Jakobs Park facility. FC Basel is a very popular and well-supported team, having won Swiss Championships in 2002, 2004 and 2005, the Swiss Cup in both 2002 and 2004 and has performed respectably in the European Championships in recent years.

Visit the Puppehaus Museum may be dedicated to toys and dolls, but it’s not meant just for the children. You’ll find collections of antique European dolls, marionettes and teddy bears here that date from the 19th and 20th centuries and will be of interest to serious collectors as well.