One of the oldest cities in the world is an exotic blend consisting of three cultures - French, German and English. Located in the place where the borders of the three states (France, Switzerland and Germany) converge, it attracts with a special atmosphere. Cozy and calm Basel, whose attractions silently tell a rich story, sets up a positive wave of all its guests. Three countries, united in a single whole in one locality, give it a special charm and unique beauty.
Old City
The name of the ancient city, located in the north-west of Switzerland, comes from the word "basilisk". It is believed that in the 4th century a huge dragon lived here, whom the locals feared, and only one valiant knight could defeat the giant monster. The successful geographical location allowed the city to significantly improve its economic situation during the Middle Ages, and it becomes an important trading center of Western Europe.
The colorful Basel, whose attractions enchant every tourist, is famous for its well-preserved historical district, reminiscent of the events of bygone days. The center of the Old Town is the Market Square, which has become a pedestrian zone. Here you can see the old town hall with a bright purple facade and the cathedral, which is the hallmark of the pearl of Switzerland.
Admirable Religious Monument
A religious landmark that appeared at the beginning of the 20th century is considered a wonderful example of Neo-Romanesque style in architecture. St. Paul's Church, located on the left bank of the fast-moving Rhine, is a beautiful building that all foreign guests get to know. It is crowned with a tall tower decorated with gargoyles (winged features) and an ancient clock. The main facade is decorated with an amazing stained glass window in the form of a Gothic rose, and the entrance to the temple is guarded by a sculpture of the archangel Michael fighting a terrible dragon.
St. Paul's Church is also striking in its interior: luxurious wall mosaics made by renowned artist Altherr evoke a sense of admiration.
Unique stele
Since the original city of Basel is located at the crossroads of three states, the local authorities, taking into account its special location, decided to perpetuate this fact by installing a stele in the upper Rhine. It is believed that the border runs in the middle of a turbulent river, but a symbolic monument was erected in the modern port of Basel. Here you can look at the busy harbor, filled with ships, ride a tourist boat, and after an exciting walk, dine in a cozy restaurant of the same name.
Drylanderek is a unique place where each guest will visit ten countries simultaneously in several countries. A silver stele towering above the water is adorned with the flags of three states. Despite the fact that Dreilandereck is not so easy to find, people are always crowding around the monument, taking pictures for memory with a unique object of our time.
Kunstmuseum - the world's oldest art collection
Lovers of the beautiful come to the city, famous for its huge number of museums, to enjoy the treasures that the art gallery holds. The Basel Museum of Art surpasses even the wildest expectations of dedicated art lovers.
The thing is that the city has long attracted the attention of all creative people. Johannes Amerbach, the famous printer who opened his printing house, came here in the 80s of the 15th century. A passionate collector collected engravings by Dürer and Earl. After his death, the son continued this undertaking and significantly replenished the collection. Basilius Amerbach acquired not only individual paintings, but also entire collections of works, as well as sketches and sketches, coins and sculptures, ancient books and jewelry. Thanks to this, the museum boasts an excellent collection consisting of ingenious works of great masters.
A magical place for art lovers
For about 70 years, the heirs of the family passed the treasury from hand to hand according to the will. When one of the descendants decided to sell a real treasure, the mayor of the city bought it in order to turn a private collection into a public one. Once a week, the city museum opened the doors for everyone.
The oldest collection of works of art was replenished every year with exhibits, and a new spacious room was needed that could accommodate a rich collection. In the middle of the XIX century a beautiful building appeared, where everything accumulated over several centuries was located in different halls.
Now Kunstmuseum is the main attraction of Basel, and fans of the classics or avant-garde will be able to learn a lot of interesting things. The museum’s exposition is divided into two parts: on the ground floor, works by masters of the 15th – 19th centuries are presented, and the second one is dedicated to 20th century art. Canvases by Rubens, Cézan, Gauguin, Rembrandt are adjacent to the works of Picasso, Munch, Dali.
A museum of the New Art was built near the art gallery, which displays works by contemporary authors.
Local zoo
Speaking of Basel, one can not help but mention his zoo, one of the five most popular in the world. On a vast territory of 13 hectares, approximately six thousand different animals live, for which all conditions are created. Spacious enclosures are equipped in such a way that visitors watch the pets living in their usual environment. However, all safety rules are carefully observed.
The zoo in Basel is divided into several zones: there is an aquarium, houses for elephants, aviaries for the cat family, Australian and African pavilions. In addition, exotic and rare birds are bred here, the feeding of which the children are happy to watch.
Home stadium
The city, whose inhabitants adore football and closely monitor sports competitions, is famous for its gigantic stadium, which appeared on the spot where the old one, built in 1893, was once located. 16 years ago it was reconstructed to host the European Championship matches. So the home stadium "St. Jacob Park", characterized by a large capacity, received a new life.
Having a square shape, it holds up to 40 thousand fans located in two-tier stands. Two huge monitors broadcast the most interesting moments of the game. After riots and fights between fans of different clubs, the guest sector is surrounded by a high fence. In addition, special nets are installed at the stadium, which are designed to collect garbage that interferes with players on the field.
It is curious that a modern shopping center with boutiques of the most fashionable shops in Europe was built on the territory of the sports facility. Here you can eat in cozy restaurants and cafes, watching what is happening in the arena. Recently, the stadium hosts various music festivals, rock concerts and colorful celebrations.
Football club "Basel"
Of course, in a city living with football, there must be a team. And she is. The club, which has repeatedly become the champion of the country, was formed at the end of the XIX century. After seven cups won, in the 80s of the last century, he goes into the shadows and for more than 20 years he could not win a single championship title. However, in 2002, 2008 and 2010, the Basel football club repeats past achievements and becomes the owner of new sports trophies.
In the UEFA Champions League match, the Swiss team that is fighting for gold will play in the same group as Moscow CSKA, and football fans are already betting on who will fly out of the game. And while the Russian club is losing.
Fasnacht annual fun festival
Every year, a colorful festival is held in Basel, one of the oldest in Europe. It begins in February or March, on Monday in Holy Week. A large-scale event gathers thousands of tourists who admire the costumed processions and jousting tournaments. I must say that in our time the holiday has lost its religious content and has turned into a real funny booth, which the locals take very seriously. To participate in the annual festival, they submit applications in advance, think out interesting costumes and masks, make fancy lanterns, and rehearse their performances.
Fasnacht begins early in the morning, to the sounds of musical instruments. Participants in colorful costumes illuminate the path with lanterns that they worked on for a long time. Numerous tourists are not allowed to participate in the carnival, which lasts 72 hours. Nevertheless, vacationers who have been in the city admit that the festive atmosphere charges with positive emotions and gives a good mood.
Charming Basel, whose attractions cause a feeling of delight, is a city where the Swiss standard of living is felt in everything. Vacationers are pleasantly surprised that public transport is free for them. Foreign guests thank the authorities for such an unprecedented generosity, which comes in handy when visiting interesting places. After all, there are quite a few of them, and they are scattered throughout the territory, and it is necessary to have time to get acquainted with historical, religious and architectural monuments in a short time.