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Interesting Facts
- As the third largest city in Switzerland (by last count), Basel has a population that is rapidly approaching 200,000 people. Strategically located on the Rhine River – where the French, German and Swiss borders all converge – Basel is the thriving capital of the half-Canton, Basel-Stadt.
- Basel's ancient origins can be traced back to Roman times when the town served as a Roman Fort named Basilia, circa 370 AD. Previous to that, around 44 BC, the area was part of the Roman settlement known as Augusta Raurica.
- The town of Basel helped pave the way for the humanist movement during the sixteenth century. One of the foremost proponents of classical humanism, the scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam, lived and taught in Basel for many years. In fact, the city became his final resting place – he's buried in the Cathedral.
- Recognized as an enlightened city – particularly since the advent of the Renaissance in Europe – Basel is home to the oldest university in Switzerland. The renowned University of Basel first opened its doors in 1460 under the patronage of Pope Pius II. Many famous scholars, writers and thinkers have taught at the university, including the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche.
- Among the biggest attractions in Basel are the excavated remains of the Roman town of Augusta Raurica. More than 1800 years ago, some 20,000 people lived and thrived here. Today, the ancient city serves as one of the largest open-air archeological museums in Europe. Each year, roughly 200,000 thousand tourists visit the historic site.
- Basel's famous Marktplatz is located in the center of town. In medieval days it was called the "corn market," and was as much a center for political events as it was for local trade. It wasn't until after the fifteenth century that the market became known specifically as a center for food trade, offering fruit, vegetables and dairy products.
- The old City Hall building is a Basel landmark. In the fourteenth century it was totally destroyed by fire and then rebuilt. In the sixteenth century, after Basel joined the Swiss Confederation, the building was rebuilt again. The famous Heisse Stein (literally Hot Stone), on which executions were once carried out, exists today only in the imagination.
- Basel can be quite a festive place, particularly in the spring. Each year on the first Monday after Ash Wednesday, the city kicks off a three-day celebration known as Fasnacht. The famous carnival is an occasion for people to don outlandish wigs, masks and costumes and parade through the streets.
- Basel has at various times been home to many famous historical and intellectual figures. In addition to Erasmus and Nietzsche, Holbein the Younger (painter), Theodor Herzl (Zionist leader) and Jakob Burckhardt (historian) also lived and worked here.
- Kunstmuseum, the fine arts museum in Basel, is one of the finest in the country. It's also the oldest museum in Switzerland. The impressive collection spans quite a wide range of styles and periods. Some of the artists who have works displayed here are Holbein the Younger, van Gogh, Picasso, Gauguin and Klee. Out front, sculptures by Rodin and Calder adorn the courtyard.
