47°35N 7°35E, pop (2000e) 179 000. Capital of Basel-Stadt demicanton and of Basel canton, N Switzerland; on the R Rhine, 69 km/43 mi N of Bern; centre of the Regio Basiliensis natural region; second largest city in Switzerland; river port at the terminus of Rhine navigation; on the site of a Roman fort; mediaeval centre for silk, dyeing, and printing; joined the Swiss Confederacy, 1501; influential centre during the Reformation; scene of the first Zionist conference, 1897; airport (Basel-Mulhouse, on French territory, shared with France); railway junction; oldest Swiss university (1460); major European communications crossroads; Switzerland's leading centre for transshipment and international commerce; pharmaceuticals, salt, synthetics, chemicals, textiles, metallurgy, engineering, foodstuffs, tourism; Gothic minster (11th-c, largely rebuilt 14th-c), town hall (150414), Spalentor (1400), European World Trade and Convention Centre, zoological and botanical gardens, many museums and theatres; space-age pylon (symbolizing the city's location at the junction of France, Germany, and Switzerland); annual Swiss Industries Fair, 3-day Basel Carnival (Fasnacht).
Coordinates: 47°34′N 7°36′E
| Basel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Canton | Basel-Stadt | |
| District | n.a. | 47°34′N 7°36′E |
| Population | 166120 (December 2002) | |
| Area | 22.75 km² | |
| Elevation | 260 m | |
| Postal code | 4000 | |
| Mayor | Ralph Lewin (Pres. of Cantonal exec.) | |
| Website | www.basel.ch | |
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Basel |
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Basel (British English traditionally: Basle [bɑːl] and more recently Basel ['ba:zəl], German: Basel ['ba:zəl], French: Bâle [bɑl], Italian: Basilea [bazi'leːa]) is Switzerland's third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004);
History
Basel traces its history back at least as far as the days of the Roman Empire settlement of Augusta Raurica though even older Celtic settlements (including a vitrified fort) have been discovered recently predating the Roman castle.
From 999, Basel was ruled by prince-bishops (see Bishop of Basel)
In 1019 the construction of the cathedral of Basel (known locally as the Munster) began under German Emperor Heinrich II.
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 1501 Basel de-facto separated from the Holy Roman Empire and joined the Swiss Confederation as 11th state, and began of the construction of the city council building.
In 1912, the extraordinary congress of the Second International was held in Basel, due to the outbreak of the Balkan Wars
Transportation
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. Three railway stations — those of the German, French and Swiss networks — lie within the city (although the Swiss (Basel SBB) and French (Basel SNCF) stations are actually in the same complex, separated by Customs and Immigration facilities). The new highspeed ICE railway line from Karlsruhe to Basel will be completed in 2008 while phase I of the TGV-Est line will be reducing travel time from Basel to Paris by the year 2007.
Basel has an extensive public transportation network serving the city and connecting to surrounding suburbs.
Within city limits, five bridges connect greater and lesser Basel, from upstream to downstream:
Schwarzwaldbrücke (built 1972) Wettsteinbrücke (current structure built 1998, original bridge built 1879) Mittlere Brücke (current structure built 1905, original bridge built 1225 as the first bridge to cross the Rhine River) Johanniterbrücke (built 1967) Dreirosenbrücke (built 2004, original bridge built 1935)A somewhat anachronistic yet still widely used system of ferry boats links the two shores.
A panoramic view of Basel, looking east over Kleinbasel (smaller Basel). Basel's innovative financial industry includes institutions like the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.| Quartier | ha | Quartier | ha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central quarter of Grossbasel | 37.63 | Central quarter of Kleinbasel | 24.21 |
| Suburbs | 89.66 | Claire | 23.66 |
| Am Ring | 90.98 | Wettstein | 75.44 |
| Breite | 68.39 | Hirzbrunnen | 305.32 |
| Saint Alban | 294.46 | Rosental | 64.33 |
| Gundeldingen | 123.19 | Matthew | 59.14 |
| Bruderholz | 259.61 | Klybeck | 91.19 |
| Bachletten | 151.39 | Kleinhüningen | 136.11 |
| Gotthelf | 46.62 | City of Basel | 2275.05 |
| Iselin | 109.82 | Riehen | 1086.10 |
| Saint John | 223.90 | Bettingen | 222.69 |
| Canton of Basel-City | 3583.84 |
Architecture
The Romanesque Münster, with its two (uneven) towers forms an architectural monument which survived medieval earthquake.
Basel is also host to an array of buildings by internationally renowned architects, such as the Beyeler Foundation by Renzo Piano, or the Vitra complex in nearby Weil am Rhein, comprised of buildings by architects such as Zaha Hadid (fire station), Frank Gehry (design museum) and Tadao Ando (conference centre).
Education
Basel hosts Switzerland's oldest university, the University of Basel, dating from 1459.
Basel is renowned for various scientific societies, as the Entomological Society of Basel (Entomologische Gesellschaft Basel, EGB), which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005 .
Basel counts several International Schools, including the International School of Basel, the Minerva School and the Rhine Academy. Many expatriate workers and their children come to Basel due to the large presence of pharmaceutical companies, and the majority of those children come to study at the international schools of Basel.
Politics
Geo-politically, the city of Basel functions as the capital of the Swiss half-canton of Basel-Stadt, though several of its suburbs form part of the half-canton of Basel-Landschaft or of the canton of Aargau. In 1499 Treaty of Basel was signed to conclude the Swabian War, in effect allowing Basel to join the Swiss Confederation. author Jacob Burckhardt (1818-1897), professor in history, theology, philosophy Karl Barth (1886-1968), theologian Arthur Cohn (1927--), film producer (won 6 Oscars) Daniel Bernoulli (1936-?) Geologist Beat Raaflaub (1946--), conductor -minu (1947--), columnist Dani Levy (1957--), film maker Patty Schnyder (1978--), tennis player Roger Federer (1981--), tennis player Sarah Stocker, artist and writer
Sport
Basel has a reputation in Switzerland as a successful sporting city.
Culture
Basel has a reputation as one of the most important cultural cities in Europe.
The city is also known for "The Basel Elite", the posh and old money social circle that the city can more than cater to.
Museums
Historical Museum Basel Kunstmuseum Basel Museum für Gegenwartskunst Tinguely museum Antikenmuseum Basel Architekturmuseum Basel Puppenhausmuseum Pharmazie-Historisches Museum Basel Naturhistorisches Museum Basel Fondation Beyeler Beyeler Museum (Fondation Beyeler)Chronological table
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| < 58 BC | Rauracian (Celtic) agglomeration on the Rhine |
| 58 BC | Exodus of the Helvetians and Rauracians (Battle of Bibracte) |
| 44-43 BC | Lucius Munatius Plancus founds the Roman colony Colonia Raurica, that will later become colonia Augusta Raurica |
| 12 BC | The oppidum of Basel is one of the supporting points for the Roman troops during the campaigns of Tiberius against the Rhaetians |
| 1st century | Occupation of the Agri Decumates (southern Germany); |
| 3rd century | Alemanni invasions. The Roman Vicus of Basel becomes again a fortified place |
| To be continued .. |
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