Basel

Basel(/ˈbɑːzəl/,BAH-zəl;German:[ˈbaːzl̩]), also known asBasle,is a city in northwesternSwitzerlandon the RiverRhine(at the transition from theHighto theUpper Rhine).Basel is Switzerland'sthird-most-populouscity (afterZurichandGeneva), with 177,595 inhabitants within the city municipality limits.The official language of Basel isSwiss Standard Germanand the main spoken language is the localBasel Germandialect.
Basel is commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerlandand the city is famous for its manymuseums, including theKunstmuseum, which is the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world (1661) and the largest museum ofart in Switzerland, theFondation Beyeler(located inRiehen), theMuseum Tinguelyand theMuseum of Contemporary Art, which is the first public museum of contemporary art in Europe.Forty museums are spread throughout the city-canton, making Basel one of the largest cultural centres in relation to its size and population in Europe.It is the hometown of theArt Basel, world's most prestigious and influential international art fair, showcasing modern and contemporary works from leading galleries and attracting top collectors, artists, and enthusiasts globally.
TheUniversity of Basel, Switzerland's oldest university (founded in 1460),and the city's centuries-long commitment tohumanism, have made Basel a safe haven at times of political unrest in other parts of Europe for such notable people asErasmus of Rotterdam,theHolbeinfamily,Friedrich Nietzsche,Carl Jung, and in the 20th century alsoHermann HesseandKarl Jaspers.
Basel was the seat of aPrince-Bishopricstarting in the 11th century, and joined theSwiss Confederacyin 1501.The city has been a commercial hub and an important cultural centre since theRenaissance,and has emerged as a centre for thechemicalandpharmaceutical industriesin the 20th century.In 1897, Basel was chosen byTheodor Herzlas the location for the firstWorld Zionist Congress, and altogether the congress was held there ten times over a time span of 50 years, more than in any other location.The city is also home to the world headquarters of theBank for International Settlements.The name of the city is internationally known through institutions like theBasel Accords,Art BaselandFC Basel.
Basel is Switzerland's main centre for the pharmaceutical industry, hosting bothNovartisandRoche.In 1938, the world-renowned chemistAlbert HofmanndiscoveredLSDin Basel, where he spent most of his life. Other influential and renowned figures such asRoger Federer,Paracelsus,Matthäus Merian,Michel von TellorStephan Remmlerare closely associated with the city or were born there. In 1734, the so-called 'Basel Problem' was solved in the city, which is regarded as one of the most important achievements in mathematics.
Basel was ranked the tenth most liveable city in the world byMercerin 2019.
The name of Basel is first recorded asBasiliain the 3rd century (237/8), at the time referring to theRoman castle. This name is mostly interpreted as deriving from the personal nameBasilius, from a toponymvilla Basilia("estateof Basilius") or similar.
Another suggestion derives it from a nameBasiliaattested in northern France as a development ofbasilica, the term for a public or church building (as inBazeilles), but all of these names reference early church buildings of the 4th or 5th century and cannot be adduced for the 3rd-century attestation ofBasilia.
By popular etymology, or simple assonance, thebasiliskbecomes closely associated with the  city, used asheraldic supporterfrom 1448, represented on coins minted by the city, and frequently found in ornaments.
TheMiddle FrenchformBaslewas adopted into English, but this form has fallen gradually out of use although it continues to be used in some sections ofBritish Englishincluding theBBC.Currently, the spellingBaselis most often used, to match the official German spelling. In FrenchBaslewas still in use in the 18th century, but was gradually replaced by the modern French spellingBâle. In Icelandic, the city is recorded asBuslaraborgin the 12th-century itineraryLeiðarvísir og borgarskipan.
There are traces of a settlement at the nearbyRhine kneefrom the earlyLa Tène period(5th century BC). In the 2nd century BC, there was a village of theRauriciat the site ofBasel-Gasfabrik(to the northwest of the Old City, and likely identical with the town ofArialbinnumthat was mentioned on theTabula Peutingeriana).The unfortified settlement was abandoned in the 1st century BC in favour of anoppidumon the site ofBasel Minster, probably in reaction to theRoman invasion of Gaul.
InRoman Gaul,Augusta Rauricawas established some 20 km (12 mi) from Basel as the regional administrative centre, while acastrum(fortified camp) was built on the site of theCelticoppidum. In AD 83, the area  was incorporated into theRoman provinceofGermania Superior. TheRoman SenatorMunatius Plancusis known as the traditional founder of Basel since the Renaissance.Roman control over the area deteriorated in the 3rd century, and Basel became an outpost of theProvincia Maxima Sequanorumformed byDiocletian.Basiliais first named by theAmmianus Marcellinusin his Res Gestaeas part of the Roman military fortifications along the Rhine in the late 4th century.
The Germanic confederation of theAlemanniattempted to cross the Rhine several times in the 4th century, but were repelled; one such event was theBattle of Solicinium(368). However, in the great invasion of AD 406, the Alemanni appear to have crossed the Rhine a final time, conquering and then settling what is todayAlsaceand a large part of theSwiss Plateau.
TheDuchy of Alemanniafell underFrankishrule in the 6th century. The Alemannic andFrankishsettlement of Basel gradually grew around the old Roman castle in the 6th and 7th century. It appears that Basel surpassed the ancient regional capital ofAugusta Rauricaby the 7th century;  based on the evidence of a goldtremissis(a small gold coin with the value of a third of asolidus) with the inscriptionBasilia fit, Basel seems to have minted its own coins in the 7th century.
Basel at this time was part of theArchdiocese of Besançon. A separatebishopric of Basel, replacing the ancient bishopric ofAugusta Raurica, was established in the 8th century. Under bishopHaito(r. 806–823), the first cathedral was built on the site of the Roman castle(replaced by a Romanesque structure consecrated in 1019).
At the partition of theCarolingian Empirethrough theTreaty of Verdunin 843, Basel was first given toWest Franciaand became its German exclave.It passed toEast Franciawith theTreaty of Meerssenof 870. Basel was  destroyed by theMagyarsin 917.The rebuilt town became part ofUpper Burgundy, and as such was incorporated into theHoly Roman Empirein 1032.
From the donation byRudolph III of Burgundyof theMoutier-Grandval Abbeyand all its possessions to BishopAdalbero II of Metzin 999 until theReformation, Basel was ruled byPrince-Bishops.
In 1019, the construction of thecathedral of Basel(known locally as theMünster) began underHenry II, Holy Roman Emperor.
In the 11th to 12th century, Basel gradually acquired the characteristics of a medievalcity.
The main market place is first mentioned in 1091. The first city walls were constructed around 1100 (with improvements made in the mid-13th and in the late 14th century). A city council of nobles and burghers is recorded for 1185, and the firstmayor, Heinrich Steinlin of Murbach,  for 1253. The first bridge across the Rhine was built in 1225 under bishopHeinrich von Thun(at the location of the modernMiddle Bridge), and from this time the settlement ofKleinbaselgradually formed around the bridgehead on the far river bank. The bridge was largely funded by Basel's Jewish community who had settled there a century earlier.For many centuriesto come Basel possessed the only permanent bridge over the river "betweenLake Constanceand the sea". The first cityguildwere thefurriers, established in 1226. A total of about fifteen guilds were established in the course of the 13th century, reflecting the increasing economic prosperity of the city.TheCrusade of 1267set out from Basel.
Political conflicts between the bishops and the burghers began in the mid-13th century and continued throughout the 14th century. By the late 14th century, the city was for all practical purposes independent although it continued to nominally pledge fealty to the bishops. TheHouse of Habsburgattempted to gain control over the city. This was not successful, but it caused a political split among the burghers of Basel into a pro-Habsburg faction, known asSterner, and an anti-Habsburg faction, thePsitticher.
TheBlack Deathreached Basel in 1348. TheJews were blamed, and an estimated 50 to 70 Jews were executed by burning on 16 January 1349 in what has become known as theBasel massacre.TheBasel earthquake of 1356destroyed much of the city along with anumber of castlesin the vicinity.
A riot on 26 February 1376, known asBöse Fasnacht, led to the killing of a number of men ofLeopold III, Duke of Austria. This was seen as a seriousbreach of the peace, and the city council blamed "foreign ruffians" for this and executed twelve alleged perpetrators. Leopold nevertheless had the city placed underimperial ban, and in a treaty of 9 July, Basel was given a heavy fine and was placed under Habsburg control. To free itself from Habsburg hegemony, Basel joined theSwabian League of Citiesin 1385, and many knights of the pro-Habsburg faction, along with duke Leopold himself, were killed  in theBattle of Sempachthe following year. A formal treaty with Habsburg was made in 1393.
Basel had gained its de facto independence from both the bishop and from the Habsburgs and was free to pursue its own policy of territorial expansion, beginning around 1400.
The unique representation of a bishops'crozieras the heraldic charge in thecoat of arms of Baselfirst appears in the form of a gilded wooden staff in the 12th century. It is of unknown origin or significance (beyond its obvious status of bishop's crozier), but it is assumed to have represented a relic, possibly attributed toSaint Germanus of Granfelden.This staff (known asBaselstab) became a symbol representing the Basel diocese, depicted in bishops' seals of the late medieval period. It is represented in a heraldic context in the early 14th century, not yet as a heraldic charge but as a kind of heraldic achievement flanked by the heraldic shields of the bishop. The staff is also represented in the bishops's seals of the period. The use of theBaselstabin black as the coat of arms of the city was introduced in 1385. From this time, theBaselstabin red represented the bishop, and the same charge in black represented the city. Theblazonof the municipal coat of arms isIn Silber ein schwarzer Baselstab(Argent, a staff of Basel sable).In 1400, Basel was able to purchase  the towns ofLiestal,HomburgandWaldenburgwith its surrounding territory.
In 1412 (or earlier), the well-knownGasthof zum Goldenen Sternenwas established. Basel became the focal point of western Christendom during the 15th centuryCouncil of Basel(1431–1449), including the 1439 election ofantipope Felix V. In 1459,Pope Pius IIendowed theUniversity of Basel, where such notables asErasmus of RotterdamandParacelsuslater taught. At the same time the new craft ofprintingwasintroduced to Baselby apprentices ofJohann Gutenberg. In 1461, the land aroundFarnsburgbecame a part of Basel.
TheSchwabe publishing housewas founded in 1488 byJohannes Petriand is the oldest publishing house still in business.Johann Frobenalso operated his printing house in Basel and was notable for publishing works by Erasmus.In 1495, Basel was incorporated into theUpper Rhenish Imperial Circle; the Bishop of Basel was added to the Bench of the Ecclesiastical Princes of theImperial Diet. In 1500 the construction of theBasel Münsterwas finished.
The city had remained neutral through theSwabian Warof 1499 despite being plundered by soldiers on both sides. TheTreaty of Baselended the war and granted the Swiss confederates exemptions from the emperor Maximillian's taxes and jurisdictions, separating Switzerlandde factofrom the Holy Roman Empire.
On 9 June 1501, Basel joined the Swiss Confederation as itseleventh canton.It was the only canton that was asked to join, not the other way round. Basel had a strategic location, good relations withStrasbourgandMulhouse, and control of the corn imports from Alsace, whereas the Swiss lands were becoming overpopulated and had few resources. A provision of the Charter accepting Basel required that in conflicts among the other cantons it was to stay neutral and offer its services for mediation.
In 1503, the new bishopChristoph von Utenheimrefused to give Basel a new constitution; whereupon, to show its power, the city began to build a new city hall.
In 1529, the city became Protestant underOecolampadiusand the bishop's seat was moved toPorrentruy. The bishop's crook was however retained as the city's coat of arms. For centuries to come, a handful of wealthy families collectively referred to as the"Daig"played a pivotal role in city affairs as they gradually established themselves as ade factocity aristocracy.
The first edition ofChristianae religionis institutio(Institutes of the Christian Religion–John Calvin's great exposition ofCalvinistdoctrine) was published at Basel in March 1536.
In 1544, Johann von Brugge, a rich Dutch Protestant refugee, was given citizenship and lived respectably until his death in 1556, then buried with honors. His body was exhumed and burnt at the stake in 1559 after it was discovered that he was the AnabaptistDavid Joris.
In 1543,De humani corporis fabrica, the first book on human anatomy, was published and printed in Basel byAndreas Vesalius(1514–1564).
There are indicationsJoachim Meyer, author of the influential 16th-centurymartial artstextKunst des Fechten("The Art of Fencing"), came from Basel. In 1661 theAmerbaschsches Kabinett,a vast collection of exotic artifacts, coins, medals and books was purchased by Basel.It was to become to the first public museum of art.Its collection became the core of the laterBasel Museum of Art.
The Bernoulli family, which included important 17th- and 18th-century mathematicians such asJakob Bernoulli,Johann BernoulliandDaniel Bernoulli, were from Basel. The 18th-century mathematicianLeonhard Eulerwas born in Basel and studied under Johann Bernoulli.
In 1792, theRepublic of Rauracia, a revolutionaryFrench client republic, was created. It lasted until 1793.After three years of political agitation and a short civil war in 1833 the disadvantaged countryside seceded from the Canton of Basel, forming the half canton ofBasel-Landschaft.Between 1861 and 1878 the city walls wereslighted.
On 3 July 1874, Switzerland's first zoo, theZoo Basel, opened its doors in the south of the city towardsBinningen.
In 1897 the firstWorld Zionist Congresswas held in Basel. Altogether the World Zionist Congress was held in Basel ten times, more than in any other city in the world.
On 16 November 1938, the psychedelic drugLSDwas first synthesized by Swiss chemistAlbert HofmannatSandozLaboratories in Basel.
In 1967, the population ofBasel voted in favor of buying three works of art by painter Pablo Picassowhich were at risk of being sold and taken out of the local museum of art, due to a financial crisis on the part of the owner's family. Therefore, Basel became the first city in the world where the population of a political community democratically decided to acquire works of art for a public institution.Pablo Picassowas so moved by the gesture that he subsequently gifted the city with an additional three paintings.
Basel has often been the site of peace negotiations and other international meetings. TheTreaty of Basel (1499)ended theSwabian War.Two years later Basel joined theSwiss Confederation.ThePeace of Baselin 1795 between theFrench Republicand Prussia and Spain ended theFirst Coalitionagainst France during theFrench Revolutionary Wars.In more recent times, theWorld Zionist Organizationheld its first congress in Basel from 29 August through 31 August 1897. Because of theBalkan Wars, the (Socialist)Second Internationalheld an extraordinary congress at Basel in 1912.In 1989, theBasel Conventionwas opened for signature with the aim of preventing the export ofhazardous wastefrom wealthy todeveloping nationsfor disposal.
Basel is located inNorthwestern Switzerlandand is commonly considered to be the capital of that region.It is close to the point where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, and Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany.As of 2016, the Swiss Basel agglomeration was the third-largest in Switzerland, with a population of 541,000in 74 municipalities in Switzerland (municipal count as of 2018).Themetropolitan area, called theTrinational Eurodistrict of Basel(TEB), consists of 62 suburban communes including municipalities in neighboring countries, and counted 829,000 inhabitants in 2007.
Basel has an area, as of 2009, of 23.91 square kilometers (9.23 sq mi). Of this area, 0.95 km(0.37 sq mi) or 4.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.88 km(0.34 sq mi) or 3.7% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 20.67 km(7.98 sq mi) or 86.4% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.45 km(0.56 sq mi) or 6.1% is either rivers or lakes.
Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 10.2% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 40.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 24.0%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.7% of the area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 8.9%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 2.5% is used for growing crops and 1.3% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
Under theKöppen system, Basel features anoceanic climate(Köppen:Cfb),although with notablecontinentalinfluences due to its relatively far inland position with cool to cold,overcastwinters and warm to hot, humid summers.
The city averages 118.2 days of rain or snow annually and on average receives 842 mm (33.1 in) ofprecipitation. The wettest month is May during which time Basel receives an average of 98 mm (3.9 in) of rain. The month with the most days of precipitation is also May, with an average of 11.7 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 45 mm (1.8 in) of precipitation over 8.4 days.
The city of Basel functions as the capital of theSwiss half-cantonofBasel-Stadt.
The canton Basel-Stadt consists of three municipalities:Riehen,Bettingen, and the city Basel itself. The political structure and agencies of the city and the canton are identical.
The city itself has 19 quarters:
The city's and canton's executive, the Executive Council (Regierungsrat), consists of seven members for a mandate period of 4 years. They are elected by any inhabitant valid to vote on the same day as the parliament,but by means of a system ofMajorz,and operates as acollegiate authority. The president (German:Regierungspräsident(in)) is elected as such by a public election, while the heads of the other departments are appointed by the collegiate. The current president isBeat Jans. The executive body holds its meetings in the redTown Hall(German:Rathaus) on the centralMarktplatz. The building was built in 1504–14.
As of 2021, Basel's Executive Council is made up of three representatives of the SP (Social Democratic Party) including the president, two LDP (Liberal-Demokratische Partei of Basel), and one member each ofGreen Liberals (glp), and CVP (Christian Democratic Party).The last election was held on 25 October and 29 November 2020 and four new members have been elected.
Barbara Schüpbach-Guggenbühlis is State Chronicler (Staatsschreiberin) since 2009, and Marco Greiner is Head of Communication (Regierungssprecher) and Vice State Chronicler (Vizestaatsschreiber) since 2007 for the Executive Council.
The city's and canton's parliament, theGrand Council of Basel-Stadt(Grosser Rat), consists of 100 seats, with members (called in German:Grossrat/Grossrätin) elected every 4 years. The sessions of the Grand Council are public. Unlike the members of the Executive Council, the members of the Grand Council are not politicians by profession, but they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Basel allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the parliament. The delegates are elected by means of a system ofProporz.The legislative body holds its meetings in the red Town Hall (Rathaus).
The last election was held on 25 October 2020 for the mandate period (Legislatur) of 2021–2025.As of 1 February 2021, the Grand Council consist of 30 (−5) members of theSocial Democratic Party (SP), 18 (+5)Grün-Alternatives Bündnis (GAB)(a collaboration of theGreen Party (GPS), its junior party, andBasels starke Alternative(BastA!)), 14 (−1)Liberal-Demokratische Partei (LDP), 11 (−4) members of theSwiss People's Party(SVP), 8 (+5)Green Liberal Party (glp), 7 (−3)The Liberals (FDP), 7 (-)Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP), 3 (+2)Evangelical People's Party (EVP), and one each representative of theAktive Bettingen (AB)andVolks-Aktion gegen zuviele Ausländer und Asylanten in unserer Heimat(VA).
The left parties missed an absolute majority by two seats.
In the2019 federal electionthe most popular party was theSocial Democratic Party (SP)which received two seats with 34% (−1) of the votes. The next five most popular parties were theGreen Party (GPS)(19.4%, +7.3), theLPS(14.5%, +3.6) and theFDP(5.8, −3.5), which are chained together at 20.3%, (+0.1), theSVP(11.3%, -5.5), and theGreen Liberal Party (GLP)(5%, +0.6),CVP(4.1%, -1.9).In the federal election, a total of 44,628 votes were cast, and thevoter turnoutwas 49.4%.
On 18 October 2015, in thefederal electionthe most popular party was theSocial Democratic Party (SP)which received two seats with 35% of the votes. The next three most popular parties were theFDP(20.2%), theSVP(16.8%), and theGreen Party (GPS)(12.2%), each with one seat. In the federal election, a total of 57,304 votes were cast, and thevoter turnoutwas 50.4%.
On 20 October 2019, in thefederal electionEva Herzog, member of theSocial Democratic Party(SP), was elected for the first time as a State Councillor (Ständerätin) in the first round as single representative of the canton of Basel-Town and successor of Anita Fetz in the nationalCouncil of States(Ständerat) with an absolute majority of 37'210 votes.
On 18 October 2015, in thefederal electionState Councillor (German:Ständerätin)Anita Fetz, member of theSocial Democratic Party(SP), was re-elected in the first round as single representative of the canton of Basel-Town in the nationalCouncil of States(Ständerat) with an absolute majority of 35'842 votes. She has been a member of it since 2003.
Basel has twosister citiesand a twinning among two states:
The canton of Basel (slightly more than the city itself) has a population (As of 2021) of 201,971, of whom 36.9% are resident foreign nationals.
Over the 10 years of 1999–2009 the population has changed at a rate of −0.3%. It has changed at a rate of 3.2% due to migration and at a rate of −3% due to births and deaths.
Of the population in the municipality 58,560 or about 35.2% were born in Basel and lived there in 2000. There were 1,396 or 0.8% who were born in the same canton, while 44,874 or 26.9% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 53,774 or 32.3% were born outside of Switzerland.
In 2008there were 898 live births to Swiss citizens and 621 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 1,732 deaths of Swiss citizens and 175 non-Swiss citizen deaths.  Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens decreased by 834 while the foreign population increased by 446.  There were 207 Swiss men and 271 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland.  At the same time, there were 1756 non-Swiss men and 1655 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland.  The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 278 and the non-Swiss population increased by 1138 people.  This represents apopulation growth rateof 0.9%.
As of 2000, there were 70,502 people who were single and never married in the municipality.  There were 70,517 married individuals, 12,435 widows or widowers, and 13,104 individuals who are divorced.
As of 2000the average number of residents per living room was 0.59 which is about equal to the cantonal average of 0.58 per room.In this case, a room is defined as space of a housing unit of at least 4 m(43 sq ft) as normal bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens and habitable cellars and attics.About 10.5% of the total households were owner occupied, or in other words did not pay rent (though they may have amortgageor arent-to-ownagreement).As of 2000, there were 86,371 private households in the municipality, and an average of 1.8 persons per household.There were 44,469 households that consist of only one person and 2,842 households with five or more people.  Out of a total of 88,646 households that answered this question, 50.2% were households made up of just one person and there were 451 adults who lived with their parents.  Of the rest of the households, there are 20,472 married couples without children, 14,554 married couples with children There were 4,318 single parents with a child or children.  There were 2,107 households that were made up of unrelated people and 2,275 households that were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing.
In 2000there were 5,747 single family homes (or 30.8% of the total) out of a total of 18,631 inhabited buildings.  There were 7,642 multi-family buildings (41.0%), along with 4,093 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (22.0%) and 1,149 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (6.2%).  Of the single family homes 1090 were built before 1919, while 65 were built between 1990 and 2000.  The greatest number of single family homes (3,474) were built between 1919 and 1945.
In 2000there were 96,640 apartments in the municipality.  The most common apartment size was 3 rooms of which there were 35,958.  There were 11,957 single room apartments and 9,702 apartments with five or more rooms.  Of these apartments, a total of 84,675 apartments (87.6% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 7,916 apartments (8.2%) were seasonally occupied and 4,049 apartments (4.2%) were empty.As of 2009, the construction rate of new housing units was 2.6 new units per 1000 residents.
As of 2003the average price to rent an average apartment in Basel was 1118.60Swiss francs(CHF) per month (US$890, £500, €720 approx. exchange rate from 2003).  The average rate for a one-room apartment was 602.27 CHF (US$480, £270, €390), a two-room apartment was about 846.52 CHF (US$680, £380, €540), a three-room apartment was about 1054.14 CHF (US$840, £470, €670) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 2185.24 CHF (US$1750, £980, €1400).  The average apartment price in Basel was 100.2% of the national average of 1116 CHF.The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010, was 0.74%.
In 2000, most of the population spoke German (129,592 or 77.8%), with Italian being second most common (9,049 or 5.4%) and French being third (4,280 or 2.6%). There were 202 people who spokeRomansh.
From the 2000 census, 41,916 or 25.2% wereRoman Catholic, while 39,180 or 23.5% belonged to theSwiss Reformed Church. Of the rest of the population, there were 4,567 members of anOrthodox church(or about 2.74% of the population), 459 individuals (or about 0.28% of the population) who belonged to theChristian Catholic Churchand 3,464 individuals (or about 2.08% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church. There were 12,368 individuals (or about 7.43% of the population) who were Muslim, 1,325 individuals (or about 0.80% of the population) who were Jewish, however only members of religious institutions are counted as such by the municipality, which makes the actual number of people ofJewish descentliving in Basel considerably higher. There were 746 individuals who wereBuddhist, 947 individuals who wereHinduand 485 individuals who belonged to another church. 52,321 (or about 31.41% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic oratheist, and 8,780 individuals (or about 5.27% of the population) did not answer the question.
Basel is subdivided into 19 quarters (Quartiere). The municipalities ofRiehenandBettingen, outside the city limits of Basel, are included in the canton of Basel-Stadt as rural quarters (Landquartiere).
Basel's airport,EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, is set up for airfreight; heavy goods reach the city and the heart ofcontinental Europefromthe North Seaby ship along the Rhine.
Basel has Switzerland's only cargo port, through which goods pass along the navigable stretches of theRhineand connect to ocean-going ships at theport of Rotterdam.
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburgis operated jointly by two countries, France and Switzerland, although the airport is located completely on French soil. The airport itself is split into two architecturally independent sectors, one half serving the French side and the other half serving the Swiss side; prior toSchengenthere was an immigration inspection point at the middle of the airport so that people could "emigrate" to the other side of the airport.
Basel has long held an important place as a rail hub. Three railway stations—those of the German, French and Swiss networks—lie within the city (although the Swiss (Basel SBB) and French (Bâle SNCF) stations are actually in the same complex, separated by Customs and Immigration facilities).Basel Badischer Bahnhofis on the opposite side of the city. Basel's local rail services are supplied by theBasel Regional S-Bahn. The largest goods railway complex of the countryis located just outside the city, spanning the municipalities of Muttenz and Pratteln. The new highspeedICErailway line fromKarlsruhe to Baselwas completed in 2008 while phase I of theTGV Rhin-Rhôneline, opened in December 2011, has reduced travel time from Basel to Paris to about 3 hours.
Basel is located on theA3 motorway.
Within the city limits, five bridges connect Greater and Lesser Basel (downstream):
A somewhat anachronistic yet still widely used system ofreaction ferryboats links the two shores. There are four ferries, each situated approximately midway between two bridges. Each is attached by a cable to a block that rides along another cable spanning the river at a height of 20 to 30 metres (66 to 98 feet). To cross the river, the ferryman orients the boat around 45° from the current so that the current pushes the boat across the river. This form of transportation is therefore completely hydraulically driven, requiring no outside energy source.Home/Aktuell – Fähri Verein Basel
Basel has an extensive public transportation network serving the city and connecting to surrounding suburbs, including a largetram network. Today, Basel has the largest tramway in terms of kilometers of rail tracks in Switzerland.Historically, onlyGenevahad a larger one at some point.
The green-colored localtramsand buses are operated by theBasler Verkehrs-Betriebe(BVB). The yellow-colored buses and trams are operated by theBaselland Transport(BLT), and connect areas in the nearby half-canton of Baselland to central Basel. The BVB also shares commuter bus lines in cooperation with transit authorities in the neighboring Alsace region in France andBadenregion in Germany. TheBasel Regional S-Bahn, the commuter rail network connecting to suburbs surrounding the city, is jointly operated bySBB,SNCFandDB.
Basel is located at the meeting point of France, Germany, and Switzerland; because it sits on the Swiss national border and is beyond theJura Mountains, many within theSwiss militaryreportedly believe that the city is indefensible during wartime.It has numerous road and rail crossings between Switzerland and the other two countries. With Switzerland joining theSchengen Areaon 12 December 2008, immigration checks were no longer carried out at the crossings. However, Switzerland did not join theEuropean Union Customs Union(though it did join theEU Single Market) and customs checks are still conducted at or near the crossings.
France-Switzerland(from east to west)
Germany-Switzerland(clockwise, from north to south)
Additionally there are many footpaths and cycle tracks crossing the border between Basel and Germany.
As the biggest town in the Northwest of Switzerland numerous public and private health centres are located in Basel. Among others theUniversitätsspital Baseland the Universitätskinderspital Basel.  Private health centres include the Bethesda Spital and the Merian Iselin Klinik. Additionally theSwiss Tropical and Public Health Instituteis located in Basel too.
Basel is at the forefront of a national vision to more than halve energy use in Switzerland by 2050. To research, develop and commercialise the technologies and techniques required for the country to become a2000 Watt society, a number of projects have been set up since 2001 in the Basel metropolitan area. These include demonstration buildings constructed toMinergieorPassivhausstandards, electricity generation fromrenewable energysources,and vehicles using natural gas,hydrogenandbiogas.A building construction law was passed in 2002 also which stated that all new flat roofs must be greened leading to Basel becoming the world's leading green roof city. This was driven by an energy saving programme.
Ahot dry rock geothermal energyproject was cancelled in 2009 since it causedinduced seismicity in Basel.
The city of Basel, located in the north west of Switzerland, is one of the most dynamic economic regions of Switzerland.
As of 2016, Basel had an unemployment rate of 3.7%.As of 2018, 19.3% of the working population was employed in thesecondary sectorand 80.6% was employed in thetertiary sector.There were 82,449 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which women made up 46.2% of the workforce.
In 2008the total number offull-time equivalentjobs was 130,988. The number of jobs in the primary sector was 13, of which 10 were in agriculture and 4 were in forestry or lumber production. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 33,171 of which 24,848 or (74.9%) were in manufacturing, 10 were in mining and 7,313 (22.0%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 97,804. In the tertiary sector; 12,880 or 13.2% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 11,959 or 12.2% were in the movement and storage of goods, 6,120 or 6.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 4,186 or 4.3% were in the information industry, 10,752 or 11.0% were the insurance or financial industry, 13,695 or 14.0% were technical professionals or scientists, 6,983 or 7.1% were in education and 16,060 or 16.4% were in health care.
In 2000, there were 121,842 workers who commuted into the municipality and 19,263 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 6.3 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. About 23.9% of the workforce coming into Basel are coming from outside Switzerland, while 1.0% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work.Of the working population, 49.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 18.7% used a private car.
TheRoche Tower, designed byHerzog & de Meuron, is 41 floors and 178 metres (584 ft) high, upon its opening in 2015 it has become the tallest building in Switzerland. Basel has also Switzerland's third tallest building (Basler Messeturm, 105 m (344 ft)) and Switzerland's tallest tower (St. Chrischona TV tower, 250 m (820 ft)).
The Swisschemical industryoperates largely from Basel, and Basel also has a largepharmaceutical industry.Novartis,Syngenta,Ciba Specialty Chemicals,Clariant,Hoffmann-La Roche,Basilea Pharmaceutica, andActelionare headquartered there. Pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals have become the modern focus of the city's industrial production.
In addition, Basel is a major European hub for Biotech and Biopharmaceuticals. There are plenty of small and mid-sized start-ups. The vibrant VC scene also supports this.
Banking is important to Basel:
Swiss International Air Lines, the national airline of Switzerland, is headquartered on the grounds ofEuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-FreiburginSaint-Louis, Haut-Rhin, France, near Basel.Prior to the formation of Swiss International Air Lines, the regional airlineCrossairwas headquartered near Basel.
Basler Zeitung("BaZ") andbz Baselare the local newspapers. The local TV station is calledTelebasel. The German-speakingSwiss Radio and Television SRFcompany, part of theSwiss Broadcasting CorporationSRG SSR, holds offices in Basel as well. The academic publishersBirkhäuser,KargerandMDPIare based in Basel.
Important trade shows includeArt Basel, the world's most important fair for modern and contemporary art,Baselworld(watches and jewelry, now discontinued), Swissbau (construction and real estate) and Igeho (hotels, catering, take-away, care). TheSwiss Sample Fair("Schweizer Mustermesse") was the largest and oldest consumer fair in Switzerland. It was held from 2007 to 2019 and took place in Kleinbasel on the right bank of the Rhine.
BesidesHumanismthe city of Basel has also been well known for its achievements in the field of mathematics. Among others, the mathematicianLeonhard Eulerand theBernoulli familyhave done research and been teaching at the local institutions for centuries. In 1910 the Swiss Mathematical Society was founded in the city and in the mid-twentieth century the Russian mathematicianAlexander Ostrowskitaught at the local university. In 2000 about 57,864 or (34.7%) of the population have completed non-mandatoryupper secondary education, and 27,603 or (16.6%) have completed additional higher education (eitheruniversityor aFachhochschule). Of the 27,603 who completed tertiary schooling, 44.4% were Swiss men, 31.1% were Swiss women, 13.9% were non-Swiss men and 10.6% were non-Swiss women.
In 2010 11,912 students attended theUniversity of Basel(55% female). 25% were foreign nationals, 16% were from canton of Basel-Stadt. In 2006, 6162 students studied at one of the nine academies of the FHNW (51% female).
As of 2000, there were 5,820 students in Basel who came from another municipality, while 1,116 residents attended schools outside the municipality.
Basel hosts Switzerland's oldest university, theUniversity of Basel, dating from 1460.Erasmus,Paracelsus,Daniel Bernoulli,Leonhard Euler,Jacob Burckhardt,Friedrich Nietzsche,Tadeusz Reichstein,Karl Jaspers,Carl Gustav Jung, andKarl Barthworked there. The University of Basel is currently counted among the 90 best educational institutions worldwide.
In 2007, theETH Zurich(Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich) established the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) in Basel. The creation of the D-BSSE was driven by a Swiss-wide research initiative SystemsX, and was jointly supported by funding from the ETH Zürich, the Swiss Government, the Swiss University Conference (SUC) and private industry.
Basel also hosts several academies of theFachhochschule Nordwestschweiz|Fachhochschule NW (FHNW): the FHNW Academy of Art and Design, FHNW Academy of Music, and the FHNW School of Business.
Basel is renowned for various scientific societies, such as the Entomological Society of Basel (Entomologische Gesellschaft Basel, EGB), which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005.
In 2005 16,939 pupils and students attended theVolksschule(the obligatory school time, includingKindergarten(127), primary schools (Primarschule, 25), and lower secondary schools (Sekundarschule, 10),of which 94% visited public schools and 39.5% were foreign nationals. In 2010 already 51.1% of all pupils spoke another language than German as their first language. In 2009 3.1% of the pupils visited special classes for pupils with particular needs. The average amount of study in primary school in Basel is 816 teaching hours per year.
In 2010 65% of the youth finished their upper secondary education with a vocational training and education, 18% finished their upper secondary education with aFederal Maturaat one of the five gymnasiums, 5% completed aFachmaturitätat theFMS, 5% completed aBerufsmaturitätsynchronously to their vocational training, and 7% other kind of upper secondary maturity. 14.1% of all students at public gymnasiums were foreign nationals. The Maturity quota in 2010 was on a record high at 28.8% (32.8 female, 24.9% male).
Basel has five publicgymnasiums(Gymnasium Bäumlihof[de],Gymnasium Kirschgarten[de],Gymnasium am Münsterplatz[de],Gymnasium Leonhard[de],Wirtschaftsgymnasium und Wirtschaftsmittelschule Basel[de]), each with its own profiles (different focus on major subjects, such as visual design, biology and chemistry, Italian, Spanish, or Latin languages, music, physics and applied mathematics, philosophy/education/psychology, and economics and law) that entitles students with a successfulMaturagraduation to attend universities. And oneFachmaturitätsschule, theFMS, with six different major subjects (health/natural sciences, education, social work, design/art, music/theatre/dance, and communication/media) that entitles students with a successfulFachmaturagraduation to attendFachhochschulen. Four differenthöhere Fachschulen(higher vocational schools such asBildungszentrum Gesundheit Basel-Stadt(health),Allgemeine Gewerbeschule Basel(trade),Berufsfachschule Basel,Schule für Gestaltung Basel(design)) allows vocational students to improve their knowledge and know-how.
As a city with a percentage of foreigners of more than thirty-five per cent and as one of the most important centres in the chemical and pharmaceutical field in the world, Basel counts several international schools including:Academia International School,École Française de Bâle,Freies Gymnasium Basel(private),Gymnasium am Münsterplatz(public),Schweizerisch-italienische Primarschule Sandro Pertini,International School Basel,BLIS Baselland International School.andSIS Swiss International School.
Basel is home to at least 65 libraries. Some of the largest include; the Universitätsbibliothek Basel (main university library), the special libraries of the University of Basel, theAllgemein Bibliotheken der Gesellschaft für Gutes und Gemeinnütziges (GGG) Basel, the Library of thePädagogische Hochschule, the Library of theHochschule für Soziale Arbeitand the Library of theHochschule für Wirtschaft. There was a combined total (as of 2008) of 8,443,643 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year a total of 1,722,802 items were loaned out.
The red sandstoneMünster, one of the foremost late-Romanesque/early Gothic buildings in the Upper Rhine, was badly damaged in the great earthquake of 1356, rebuilt in the 14th and 15th century, extensively reconstructed in the mid-19th century and further restored in the late 20th century.A memorial toErasmuslies inside the Münster. The City Hall from the 16th century is located on the Market Square and is decorated with fine murals on the outer walls and on the walls of the inner court.
Basel is also host to an array of buildings by internationally renowned architects. These include theBeyeler FoundationbyRenzo Piano, or theVitracomplex in nearby Weil am Rhein, composed of buildings by architects such asZaha Hadid(fire station),Frank Gehry(Design Museum),Álvaro Siza Vieira(factory building), andTadao Ando(conference centre). Basel also features buildings byMario Botta(Jean Tinguely Museum and Bank of International settlements) andHerzog & de Meuron(whose architectural practice is in Basel, and who are best known as the architects ofTate Modernin London and theBird's Nestin Beijing, the Olympia stadium, which was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics). The city received theWakker Prizein 1996.
Basel features a great number ofheritage sites of national significance.
These include the entire Old Town of Basel as well as the following buildings and collections:
Badischer Bahnhof(German Baden's railway station) with fountain,Bank for International Settlements,Blaues Haus (Reichensteinerhof)at Rheinsprung 16,Bruderholzschule(school house) at Fritz-Hauser-Strasse 20,Brunschwiler Hausat Hebelstrasse 15,Bahnhof Basel SBB(Swiss railway station),Bürgerspital(hospital),Café Spitz (Merianflügel),Coop Schweizcompany's central archive, Depot of theArchäologischen Bodenforschung des Kanton Basel-Stadt, former Gallizian Paper Mill andSwiss Museum of Paper, formerKlingental-Kaserne(casern) withKlingentaler Kirche(church),Fasnachtsbrunnen(fountain),Feuerschützenhaus(guild house of the riflemen) at Schützenmattstrasse 56,Fischmarktbrunnen(fountain),Geltenzunftat Marktplatz 13,Gymnasium am Kohlenberg (St Leonhard)(school),Hauptpost(main post office),Haus zum Rabenat Aeschenvorstadt 15,Hohenfirstenhofat Rittergasse 19,Holsteinerhofat Hebelstrasse 30,Markgräflerhofa former palace of the margraves ofBaden-Durlach,Mittlere Rhein Brücke(Central Rhine Bridge),Stadtcasino(music hall) at Steinenberg 14,Ramsteinerhofat Rittergasse 7 and 9,Rathaus(town hall),Rundhofbuilding of theSchweizerischen Mustermesse,Safranzunftat Gerbergasse 11,Sandgrubeat Riehenstrasse 154,Schlösschen(Manor house) Gundeldingen,Schönes HausandSchöner Hofat Nadelberg 6,Wasgenringschool house,Seidenhofwith painting of Rudolf von Habsburg,Spalenhofat Spalenberg 12,Spiesshofat Heuberg 7, city walls, Townhouse (former post office) at Stadthausgasse 13 / Totengässlein 6,Weisses Hausat Martinsgasse 3,Wildt'sches Hausat Petersplatz 13,Haus zum Neuen Singerat Speiserstrasse 98,Wolfgottesackerat Münchensteinerstrasse 99,Zerkindenhofat Nadelberg 10.
Among others, there is the Anatomical Museum of the University Basel, Berri-Villen andMuseum of Ancient Art Basel and Ludwig Collection, FormerFranciscanBarefootOrder Church andBasel Historical Museum, Company Archive of Novartis,Haus zum Kirschgartenwhich is part of theBasel Historical Museum, Historic Archive Roche and Industrial Complex Hoffmann-La Roche, Jewish Museum of Switzerland,Caricature & Cartoon Museum Basel, Karl Barth-Archive,Kleines Klingental(Lower Klingen Valley) with Museum Klingental,Art Museum of Basel, hosting the world's oldest art collection accessible to the public,Natural History Museum of Baseland theMuseum of Cultures Basel, Museum of Modern Art Basel with the E. Hoffmann collection, Museum Jean Tinguely Basel, Music Museum, Pharmacy Historical Museum of the University of Basel, Poster Collection of the School for Design (Schule für Gestaltung), Swiss Business Archives, Sculpture Hall, Sports Museum of Switzerland, Archives of the Canton of Basel-Stadt,UBSAG Corporate Archives, University Library with manuscripts and music collection, Zoological Garden (Zoologischer Garten).
Basel is the home of theSchola Cantorum Basiliensis, founded in 1933, a worldwide centre for research on and performance of music from the Medieval through the Baroque eras.Theater Basel, chosen in 1999 as the best stage for German-language performances and in 2009 and 2010 as "Opera house of the year" by German opera magazineOpernwelt,presents a busy schedule of plays in addition to being home to the city's opera and ballet companies. Basel is home to the largest orchestra in Switzerland, theSinfonieorchester Basel. It is also the home of theBasel Sinfoniettaand theKammerorchester Basel, which recorded the complete symphonies ofLudwig van Beethovenfor theSonylabel, led by its music directorGiovanni Antonini. The Schola Cantorum and the Basler Kammerorchester were both founded by the conductorPaul Sacher, who went on to commission works by many leading composers. The Paul Sacher Foundation, opened in 1986, houses a major collection of manuscripts, including the entireIgor Stravinskyarchive.
The baroque orchestras La Cetra and Capriccio Basel are also based in Basel.
In May 2004, the fifth European Festival of Youth Choirs (Europäisches Jugendchorfestival, or EJCF) opened; this Basel tradition started in 1992. Host of the festival is the localBasel Boys Choir.
In 1997, Basel contended to become the "European Capital of Culture", though the honor went toThessaloniki.
In 2025, Basel will host theEurovision Song ContestatSt. Jakobshalle, becoming the third Swiss city to host the competition afterLuganoin 1956 andLausannein 1989.
TheBasel museumscover a broad and diverse spectrum ofcollectionswith a marked concentration in the fine arts. They house numerous holdings of international significance. The over three dozen institutions yield an extraordinarily high density of museums compared to other cities of similar size and draw over one million visitors annually.
Constituting an essential component of Basel culture and cultural policy, the museums are the result of closely interwoven private and public collecting activities and promotion of arts and culture going back to the 16th century. The public museum collection was first created back in 1661 and represents the oldest public collection in continuous existence in Europa. Since the late 1980s, various private collections have been made accessible to the public in new purpose-built structures that have been recognized as acclaimed examples ofavant-gardemuseum architecture.
The city of Basel is a centre for numerous fairs and events all year round. One of the most important fairs for contemporary art worldwide is theArt Baselwhich was founded in 1970 by Ernst Beyeler and takes place in June each year.Baselworld, the watch and jewellery show (Uhren- und Schmuckmesse) one of the biggest fairs of its kind in Europe is held every year as well, and attracts a great number of tourists and dealers to the city. Live marketing company and fair organizerMCH Grouphas its head office in Basel.
Thecarnivalof the city of Basel (Basler Fasnacht) is a major cultural event in the year. The carnival is the biggest in Switzerland and attracts large crowds every year, despite the fact that it starts at exactly four o'clock in the morning (Morgestraich) on a winter Monday. The Fasnacht asserts Basel's Protestant history by commencing the revelry five days afterAsh Wednesdayand continuing exactly 72 hours. Almost all study and work in the old city cease. Dozens of fife and drum clubs parade in medieval guild tradition with fantastical masks and illuminated lanterns.
Basel Tattoo, founded in 2006 by the localTop Secret Drum Corps, has grown to be the world's second largest military tattoo in terms of performers and budget after theEdinburgh Military Tattoo.The Basel Tattoo annual parade, with an estimated 125,000 visitors, is considered the largest event in Basel. The event is now sponsored by theSwiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), making it the officialmilitary tattooof Switzerland.
The city will host theEurovision Song Contest 2025at the St. Jakobshalle arena.[1]
There are a number of culinary specialties originating in Basel, includingBasler Läckerlicookies andMässmoggecandies. Being located in the meeting place between Switzerland, France and Germany the culinary landscape as a whole is very varied and diverse, making it a city with a great number of restaurants of all sorts.
Zoo Baselis, with over 1.7 million visitors per year,the most visited tourist attraction in Basel and the second most visited tourist attraction in Switzerland.
Established in 1874, Zoo Basel is the oldest zoo in Switzerland and, by number of animals, the largest. Through its history, Zoo Basel has had several breeding successes, such as the first worldwideIndian rhinocerosbirthandGreater flamingohatchin a zoo. These and other achievements ledForbesTravel to rank Zoo Basel as one of the fifteen best zoos in the world in 2008.
Despite its international fame, Basel's population remains attached to Zoo Basel, which is entirely surrounded by the city of Basel. Evidence of this is the millions of donations money each year, as well as Zoo Basel's unofficial name: locals lovingly call "their" zoo "Zolli" by which is it known throughout Basel and most of Switzerland.
Amongst its major sports venues, Basel features a largefootball stadiumthat has been awarded four stars byUEFA, a modern ice hockey arena, and a sports hall.
ThefootballclubFC Baselis successful and in recognition of this the city was one of the Swiss venues for the2008 European Championships, along withGeneva,ZürichandBern. The championships were jointly hosted by Switzerland andAustria.BSC Old BoysandConcordia Baselare the other football teams in Basel.
Among the most popular sports in Switzerland isice hockey.Basel is home toEHC Basel, who play in theMySports League, the third tier of the Swiss ice hockey league system. They play their home games in the 6,700-seaterSt. Jakob Arena. The team previously played in theNational Leagueand theSwiss League, but filed for bankruptcy after the2013–14 Swiss League season.
Basketball has a very small but faithful fan base. The top division, called theSBL, is a semi-professional league and has one team from the Basel region, the "Birstal Starwings". One player from Switzerland is currently active in the NBA,Clint Capela. As in most European countries, but unlike the U.S., Switzerland has a club-based rather than a school-based competition system.TheStarwings Baselare the only first division basketball team inGerman-speaking Switzerland.
A large indoor tennis event takes place in Basel every October. Some of the bestATP-professionals play every year at theSwiss Indoors, previously including Switzerland's biggest sporting heroRoger Federer, a Basel native who describes the city as "one of the most beautiful cities in the world".
In July 2022, the women's water polo players of the WSV Basel secured their 11th national championship title.
Basel GAA, aGaelic gamesclub, is also located in Basel.Basel Dragons AFChave been playingAustralian Footballin theAFL Switzerlandleague since 2019.
The annualBasel Rhine Swimdraws several thousand visitors to the city to swim in or float on the Rhine.
The headquarters of theIHF(International Handball Federation) is located in Basel.
Notable people who were born or grew up in Basel: