16 Things to see and do in Basel

Following from my previous post about my day in Basel I thought it would be a good idea to put all the most important things you must see in an orderly way with some historical facts so that when you do visit you will have some background knowledge!

Basel was initially divided in two; the part on the north of the river and the part on the south. In 1225, the first bridge on the River Rhine was built and this joined up the northern part to the southern becoming Basel. This is where the names Grossbasel and Kleinbasel come from. Grossbasel being the southern part and Kleinbasel being the north. The touristy part of Basel is mainly in the Grossbasel but there are also a few little things to see in the Kleinbasel.

Top things to do in Basel:

Grossbasel:

Elisabethenkirche:

This cathedral is located on Elisabethen strasse and dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. It is the most famous neo-gothic building in Switzerland. It was also the first church to be built in Basel after the reformation. If you have time, it would be a great idea to climb up the tower, as you will get one of the most beautiful views over Basel.

Theater Basel :

This theatre was founded in 1834 with the name Basler Stadttheater. The theatre has gone through four main changes, with the last one being in 1975. This theatre is home to the opera, ballets, plays, and musicals and is the main theatre of Basel.

It would be a nice idea to go and have a look at a show if you visit Basel. For more informations on shows visit their website: https://www.theater-basel.ch

Basler Münster:

In my eyes, this is one of the most spectacular cathedral in Switzerland. The architecture of the cathedral is gothic on the exterior and roman in the interior. Built between 1019 and 1500 it was originally a Roman Catholic Church, however today it is a reformed Protestant church. My favorite part of this church is the red sandstone exterior; the colour almost appears washed out - I find that it is a great effect and a unique aspect. Although it may be hard to see, the roof is covered in mosaics and it also has a balcony which is great for a panoramic view over Basel.

Mittlere Brücke:

The Mittlere Brücke is the bridge that connects Grossbasel to Kleinbasel. It is the oldest bridge and it dates back to the thirteenth century. It is one of the most important symbols of Basel considering it is a bridge of enormous significance. It became an important crossing of long-distance trade and today is seen as Basel's icon. In the winter the bridge looks magical as it is covered with Christmas lights.

Marktplatz:

Marktplatz is the home of the famous city hall, the Rathaus and also holds daily food markets selling wine, fresh fruit and vegetables and some Basel specialties such as alpine honey and cherries.

Rathaus:

I cannot stress how incredible this building is. I have never seen a more beautiful building (the only one that can compare is probably St. Basels in Moscow). When I saw it in pictures I could tell it was beautiful but it was only when I was standing in front of it that I realized the magnificence of it. The city hall and the inner courtyard are covered in frescoes dating from 1552 by Hans Holbein the Younger. Many of these frescoes, however, have been lost and others have been placed in the Kunstmuseum. This city hall was built after the previous one collapsed in the earthquake of 1356. In 1900 the wing on the left and the tower on the right were added to this marvellous building.

Spalentor:

The Spalentor dates back to 1400 and is the only one out of the three city gates that is still standing. This site was used as a gateway for goods to be taken to the city of Alsace. It is an impressive building that after all these years has been able to maintain its beauty. It is situated on Spalenvorstadt.

Kunstmuseum:

This is one of the most important fine arts museums in Switzerland. It is well known internationally and it is your number one go to place when in Basel. It contains the oldest public art collection from the early fifteenth century until now. It contains pieces from artists in the Upper Rhine land between 1400-1600 and other arts between the nineteenth century and the present. In 1661 The city bought a collection of all the most important works of Hans Holbein the Younger, which is the cities renowned artist and painter who worked in a northern renaissance style. He is the finest artist of Basel. If you are an art lover then this is your heaven, it contains still life pieces and important works from cubism, surrealism, dadaism, constructivism and works from the Renaissance and the Impressionist period. I would take a good 2 hours in this museum because of its size so make sure you leave enough time.

Barfüsserkirche:

This is an important site for you historians. It is a Franciscan church built in the fourteenth century but was hit by a WWII bomb in 1944 and was never rebuilt. It is an interesting attraction as you can see the ruins of the church, and the museum it now houses holding religious art and an original stained glass window from the thirteenth century.

Antikenmuseum:

This is the only Swiss museum dedicated to the art of ancient civilizations dating from the fourth millennium BC to the seventh century AD. It is the only museum to include the ancient Mediterranean civilization, containing things like Egyptian sculptures and Greek vases.

It is located on 5, St. Alban-Graben

For more infromation on this museum take a look at their website : http://www.antikenmuseumbasel.ch

Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum:

This museum was founded in 1984 and is a museum that holds different aspects of Swiss Contemporary Architecture. Basel has become the center of Swiss cultural and architectural debates and therefore this museum also contains different discourses of architecture from the professionals and share this to the public through their temporary and permanent exhibitions.

For more information on this museum visit their website: http://www.sam-basel.org/en/mission-statement

Pharmazie-Historisces Museum:

This museum is probably another very essential museums to visit when in Basel. The chemical industry was a very famous sector in the eighteenth century and since then Basel started producing pharmaceutical products which have contributed to the economy of the city, In the museum, you will find old pharmaceuticals, laboratory utensils, instruments, and books - it is almost like walking in a science lab. It is quite an interesting museum and certainly worth seeing if you have time on your hands.

Prices are 8 CHF for adults and 5 CHF for reduced tickets. For more infromation on this museum, this is their website : http://www.pharmaziemuseum.ch

Kleinbasel:

I guess the way to describe this area is a more elegant version of Shoreditch (but with cheaper rent). The Kleinbasel was traditionally inhabited by immigrants and workers and is slowly regaining its popularity.

Altstadt:

This is the most important part of the Kleinbasel, as it is home to some of the cutest houses you will ever see. It is located facing the river so it is a good place to go and have a romantic stroll and taking in the beautiful swiss-german architecture. It is the main residential part of Basel now as the Grossbasel is the tourist centre. In the Altstadt, you will find a great number of little cafés and restaurants worth stopping in.

Jean Tinguely Museum:

The mechanical sculptures in the Jean Tinguely museum have been created to make an impact on the viewer. These unique pieces are a way of communication through the art of Jean Tinguely himself, whose wife contributed to the museum after the death of the artist. The museum also contains pieces such as drawings, photographs, documents, and letters. I would honestly recommend seeing this museum as it is one of the most unusual yet fun museums to visit.

Fondation Beyeler:

The fantastic exterior architecture coupled with the pieces inside makes this exposition a real treat. The outside was designed by Renzo Piano, whilst the inside contains the art collections of Ernest Beyeler, an important artist from the twentieth century. The museum also contains the works of other twentieth-century artists such as the incredible Matisse and Monet (two of my favorite artists), Kandinsky, Picasso, etc. This art museum is the second-best art museum in Switzerland in my opinion following on from the Kunstmuseum.

For more information visit their website: https://www.fondationbeyeler.ch/en/

Fähri boat:

For a more relaxed expedition, if you are run down from walking around looking at tourist sites then why not relax on a boat down the river Rhine? It is quite a short trip, taking only 10 minutes but it is cheap - 1. 60 CHF. You can take it from the Aldstadst in Kleinbasel. For more information, and if you understand German then take a look at their website: http://www.faehri.ch

Photo gallery