Basel is the second largest city in the Confederation by size and population (about 180,000 inhabitants). The ancient Basel lies on the banks of the Rhine, right at the point where the river, turning towards Northern Europe, makes a sharp bend and where Switzerland, France, and Germany meet. The result is a kind of cosmopolitan island, wedged between the Jura and the Black Forest, which has always drawn strength and character from its multiculturalism.
Basel, besides being the capital of the homonymous semicanton (Basel-Stadt), is a major industrial and commercial hub where much is invested in ideas, creativity, and experimentation, as evidenced by Art Basel, the most important contemporary art fair in Europe, which every year in the second half of June catapults artists, critics, dealers, and collectors from all over the world into the immense halls of the Messe, the fair.
Basel places of interest
1 Walk along the Rhine
What makes Basel attractive and very popular is also the Rheinweg, the elegant promenade along the river, which features elegant period buildings and a lively nightlife. That its inhabitants unequivocally feel like river people is also demonstrated by a peculiar fact: despite the dense series of road transport, shuttling from one city center to another across the numerous bridges, the Baslers continue to prefer the characteristic fahre, small wooden ferries without engines, silently gliding on the water using favorable currents. Among the things to do in Basel is undoubtedly the cruise on the Rhine which allows you to admire the city stretching along both banks of the river (from March to October).
2 Grosse Basel and Klein Basel
The Rhine runs through the city and divides it into two distinct centers: Grosse Basel, Great Basel, on the western bank, and Klein Basel, Little Basel, on the eastern one. The former, exuberant and excellently preserved, is full of monuments, starting with the Munster, the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral in red sandstone; fountains; medieval buildings; Gothic houses, like those surrounding Andreasplatz; 17th-century and Rococo townhouses, such as the Stadthaus or the Pharmacy Museum; taverns, hotels and restaurants. The latter, Klein Basel, is decidedly less attractive, full of traffic, dotted with large buildings and corporate offices, and wide avenues, such as Clarasgraben and Rebgasse, lined with a myriad of shops and department stores.
3 Basel Cathedral: Münster
The Basel Cathedral, Münster, is among Basel’s tourist attractions. In a prominent position, the ancient episcopal seat towers over the Rhine and radiates its presence throughout the region. The Reformed Temple is a living monument of Romanesque and Gothic architecture (1019-1500): built in red sandstone, it boasts a rich historical tradition as well as exceptional musical and sacred vitality.
4 Basel Zoo
The Basel Zoo dates back to 1874, the year of its inauguration. It is also called “Zolli” and hosts a large number of local and exotic animals. With its charming park area and carefully arranged enclosures, a visit to the Basel zoo is always worthwhile. There are about 600 different animal species in an eleven-hectare park with exotic flora in the heart of the city.
5 Kunstmuseum Basel: contemporary art museum
The Kunstmuseum Basel and the Basel contemporary art museum. It collects contemporary artworks. The opening of the underground passage connecting the main building with the new extension, by Basel architects Christ & Gantenbein, has allowed for greater exhibition space. The main building on St-Alban-Graben delights in works from the 15th century up to 1960. The new building houses temporary exhibitions and works created between 1960 and 1990. The Kunstmuseum Basel hosts one of the oldest public art collections and the largest Holbein collection in the world. All three buildings of the Kunstmuseum Basel have a total exhibition area of 10,000 square meters.
6 Museum of Cultures
The Museum of Cultures Basel is currently among the most important ethnographic museums in Europe. The collection, with over 300,000 pieces, is impressive and world-renowned. Through generations, the collection has focused on precious objects from Europe, Africa, America, Oceania, and Asia. Admission to exhibitions is free with the Upper Rhine Museum Pass.
7 Beyeler Foundation
The Beyeler Foundation is in Riehen and is the place to discover the 250 masterpieces of Hildy and Ernst Beyeler, to admire collections of classical modern works or sensational exhibitions. In the modern 127-meter-long building designed by architect Renzo Piano, various art collections and special exhibitions can be admired. Part of the ground floor is reserved for exceptional temporary exhibitions, such as those on Marlene Dumas, Gerhard Richter, or Ferdinand Hodler. These exhibitions are accompanied by a dense calendar of events with readings, debates, and guided tours.
8 Tinguely Museum
The Tinguely Museum Basel houses the largest collection in the world of works by Jean Tinguely. The temporary exhibitions, often interactive, are dedicated to his predecessors, his contemporaries, or the latest trends. The museum’s permanent exhibition presents a broad overview of forty years of artistic activity. The temporary exhibitions, always inspired by Tinguely‘s ideas, cast light on a wide range of 20th and 21st-century artists, from his declared models like Marcel Duchamp and Kurt Schwitters to contemporaries such as Arman, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Yves Klein, and address current themes and trends. The building housing the museum, designed by the famous architect Mario Botta, is a work of art in itself. Admission to exhibitions is free with the Upper Rhine Museum Pass.
