Basel
Country Switzerland Canton Basel-Stadt District n. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the Federal state of Switzerland. Basel-City (in German:) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. In contrast to centrally organised States in the federally constituted Switzerland each Canton iscompletely free to decide its own a. 47°34′N, 7°36′E
Population	165,529  (December 2006)
- Density	7,276 /km² (18,845 /sq. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume mi. )
Area	22.75 km² (8.8 sq mi)
Elevation	260 m (853 ft)
- Lowest	244. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare sizes of different geographic regions we list here Areas between 10 km² (1000 Hectares and 100 km² (10000 hectares The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit 75 m - Rhine shore, national border at Kleinhüningen
Postal code	4000
Mayor	Guy Morin (as of 2008) GP
Surrounded by (view map)	Allschwil (BL), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen, Saint-Louis (FR-68), Weil am Rhein (DE-BW)
Website	basel.ch
Basel [zoom]

Basel (British English traditionally: Basle [bɑːl] and more recently Basel ['ba:zəl]^[1][2], German: Basel ['ba:zəl], French: Bâle [bɑl], Italian: Basilea [bazi'lɛːa], Romansh: Basilea [bazi'lɛːa] is Switzerland's third most populous city (165,529 inhabitants (2006); 731,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerland's second-largest urban area as of 2004. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge This page is a summary of the Postal codes of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Political parties in Switzerland lists political parties in Switzerland. The following is a list of the municipalities in Switzerland, listed alphabetically (from Aadorf to Zwischbergen) Allschwil is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Binningen is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Birsfelden is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Bottmingen is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Land in Switzerland. Huningue ( French; German:Hüningen is the name of both a canton and a commune in Alsace, France. Münchenstein is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Muttenz is a municipality with a population of approximately 17000 in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Reinach is a municipality in the district Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Riehen is a municipality in the canton of Basel-City in Switzerland. Saint-Louis is a town and commune of the Haut-Rhin département, in Alsace, France. Weil am Rhein is a German town and commune situated on the east bank of the River Rhine, and close to the point at which the Swiss, French British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Romansh (also spelled Romansch, Rumants(ch or Romanche) is one of the four official languages of Switzerland, along with German, Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

Located in north-west Switzerland on the river Rhine, Basel functions as a major industrial centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge The city borders both Germany and France. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Basel region, culturally extending into German Baden-Württemberg and French Alsace, reflects the heritage of its three states in the modern Latin name: "Regio TriRhena". Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states ( Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Alsace (Alsace alzas Alsatian and Elsass pre-1996 German: Elsaß; Alsatia is one of the 26 Regions of France, located on the eastern A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. It has the oldest university of the Swiss Confederation (1460). The University of Basel (German Universität Basel) is located at Basel, Switzerland.

History^[3]

1493 Woodcut of the City of Basel.

During the days of the Roman Empire, the settlement of Augusta Raurica was founded 10 or 20 kilometres upstream of present Basel, and a castle was built on the hill overlooking the river where the Basel Münster now stands. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Augusta Raurica is a large Roman Archaeological site and an Open-air museum in Switzerland. But even older Celtic settlements (including a vitrified fort) have been discovered recently in the area predating the Roman castle. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Vitrified fort is the name given to certain crude stone enclosures whose walls have been subjected in a greater or less degree to the action of fire. The city's position on the Rhine long emphasised its importance: Basel for many centuries possessed the only bridge over the river "between Lake Constance and the sea". The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Under the designation Lake Constance or Lake of Constance ( German Bodensee) one summarizes the three independent bodies of water Obersee

The town of Basel was called "Basilia" in Latin, and this name is documented from the year 374 AD. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. ^[4] Since the donation of the Abbey Moutier-Grandvalto and all its possessions to Bishop Adalbero II. in 999 till the Reformation, Basel was ruled by prince-bishops (see Bishop of Basel,^[5] whose memory is preserved in the crosier shown on the Basle coat-of-arms - see above). The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time A Prince-Bishop is a Bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more Secular principalities usually pre-existent titles of nobility Bishopric of Basel may refer to either the Roman Catholic Diocese in Switzerland (German Bistum Basel, Latin Dioecesis Basileensis A crosier ( crozier, pastoral staff, paterissa, pósokh) is the stylized staff of office ( Pastoral staff) carried by high-ranking In 1019 the construction of the cathedral of Basel (known locally as the Münster) began under German Emperor Heinrich II. Saint Henry II ( May 6, 973 &ndash July 13, 1024) called the Holy or the Saint, was the fifth and last Holy ^[6] In 1225–1226 the Bridge over the Rhine was constructed by Bishop Heinrich von Thun and lesser Basel (Kleinbasel) founded as a beachhead to protect the bridge. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight

In 1356 the Basel earthquake destroyed much of the city along with a number of castles in the vicinity. Rötteln Castle (Burg Rötteln located above the Lörrach suburb of Haagen, lies in the extreme southwest corner of the German state of Baden-Württemberg The city offered courts in the city to nobles as an alternative to rebuilding their castles, in exchange for the nobles' military protection of the city.

In 1412 (or earlier) the well-known guesthouse Zum Goldenen Sternen was established. Basel became the focal point of western Christendom during the 15th century Council of Basel (1431 –1449), including the 1439 AD election of antipope Felix V. The Council of Florence (originally Council of Basel) was an Ecumenical Council of Bishops and other ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman Amadeus VIII ( September 4, 1383 &ndash January 7, 1451) was the son of Amadeus VII Count of Savoy and Bonne of Berry. In 1459 Pope Pius II endowed the University of Basel where such notables as Erasmus of Rotterdam, Paracelsus and Hans Holbein the Younger taught. Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini ( Latin Aeneas Sylvius; October 18, 1405 &ndash August 14, 1464) The University of Basel (German Universität Basel) is located at Basel, Switzerland. Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of Paracelsus (11 November or 17 December 1493 in Einsiedeln Switzerland – 24 September 1541 in Salzburg, Austria) was an alchemist, At the same time the new craft of printing was introduced to Basel by apprentices of Gutenberg. Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg ( 1398 &ndash February 3, 1468) was a German Goldsmith and printer who is credited

The Schwabe publishing house was founded 1488 by Johannes Petri and is the oldest publishing house still in business. Johann Froben also operated his printing house in Basel and was notable for publishing works by Erasmus. Johann Froben, in Latin: Johannes Frobenius ( Hammelburg, Franconia, circa 1460 — Basel, 27 October 1527) was a ^[7] In 1495, Basel was incorporated in the Upper Rhenish Imperial Circle, the bishop sitting on the Bench of the Ecclesiastical Princes. An Imperial Circle (Reichskreis, plural Reichskreise was a regional grouping of territories of the Holy Roman Empire, primarily for the purpose of organizing In 1500 the construction of the Basel Münster was finished. The Basel Münster ( Basler Münster) is one of the main landmarks and tourist attractions of the Swiss city of Basel. In 1501 Basel de facto separated from the Holy Roman Empire and joined the Swiss Confederation as 11th canton,^[8] and began the construction of the city council building. The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland. The bishop continued to reside in Basel until the reformation of Oecolampadius in 1529. Johannes Œcolampadius or Œkolampad ( 1482 - November 24 1531) was a German religious reformer whose real name was Hussgen The bishop's crook was however retained as the city's coat of arms. A crosier ( crozier, pastoral staff, paterissa, pósokh) is the stylized staff of office ( Pastoral staff) carried by high-ranking In March 1536 the first edition of Christianae religionis institutio (Institutes of the Christian Religion) was published in Latin by John Calvin at Basel. Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin 's seminal work on Protestant Systematic theology. John Calvin (or Jean Calvin) (10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564 was a French Protestant theologian during the Protestant Reformation and ^[9] There are indications Joachim Meyer, an influential 16th century author of a book on fighting (kunst des Fechten) came from Basel. Joachim Meyer (1537? - 1571 was a self described Freifechter (literally Free Fencer living in the then Free Imperial City of Strassburg in the 16th century

Intended as a defence of Huguenots then persecuted in France, Calvin's Institutes was an exposition of Protestant Christian doctrine which later became known as Calvinism. The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin 's seminal work on Protestant Systematic theology. Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the In 1543 De humani corporis fabrica, the first anatomy book was published and printed in Basel by Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564). De humani corporis fabrica libri septem ( On the fabric of the human body in seven books) is a textbook of human anatomy written by Andreas Vesalius Andreas Vesalius ( Brussels, December 31, 1514 - Zakynthos, October 15, 1564) was an anatomist, Physician ^[10] In 1662 the Amerbaschsches Kabinett formed the basis of a collection and exposition, forming the core of the Basel Museum of Art.

In 1792 the Republic of Rauracia, a revolutionary French client republic, was created. The Rauracian Republic was a state that included parts of modern France and Switzerland around the Jura mountains. During its occupation of neighboring parts of Europe during the French Revolutionary Wars, France established republican regimes in these territories It lasted until 1793. ^[11] After three years of political agitation for equal rights and a short civil war in 1833 the disadvantaged countryside seceded from the Canton of Basle, forming the halfcanton of Basel-Landschaft. ^[12] In 1912, the extraordinary congress of the Second International was held in Basel, due to the outbreak of the Balkan Wars

Accords

Throughout history, Basel has seen the conclusion of numerous accords. The Second International (1889-1916 was an organization of socialist and labour parties formed in Paris on July 14, 1889. The Balkan Wars were two wars in South-eastern Europe in 1912–1913 in the course of which the Balkan League ( Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece In 1499 Treaty of Basel was signed, ending the Swabian War, and two years later Basel joined the Swiss Confederation. The Treaty of Basel of 22 September 1499 was an armistice following the Battle of Dornach, concluding the Swabian War, fought between the The Swabian War of 1499 ( Schwabenkrieg, also called Schweizerkrieg War" in Germany and Engadiner Krieg of the [[Engadin]"] in Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation In 1795, two separate peace treaties between the revolutionary French Republic on the one hand and Prussia and Spain on the other brought about the collapse of the First Coalition and the cessation of fighting in the French Revolutionary Wars. See Treaty of Basel for the 1499 treaty The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties involving The First Coalition ( 1792 – 1797) was the first major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts from 1792 until 1802 fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states In more recent times, on September 3, 1897, the World Zionist Organization held its first congress in Basel under the leadership of Theodor Herzl; this Jewish umbrella organization would later play an instrumental role in the creation of the state of Israel. The World Zionist Organization ( Hebrew: ההסתדרות הציונית העולמית or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization ( Hebrew Theodor Herzl (בנימין זאב הרצל ( Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl) (May 2 1860&ndashJuly 3 1904 was an Austrian Jewish journalist who founded modern For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Because of the Balkan Wars the Second International held an extraordinary congress at Basel in 1912. The Balkan Wars were two wars in South-eastern Europe in 1912–1913 in the course of which the Balkan League ( Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece The Second International (1889-1916 was an organization of socialist and labour parties formed in Paris on July 14, 1889. In 1989, the Basel Convention was opened for signature with the aim of preventing the export of hazardous waste from wealthy to developing nations for disposal. The Basel Convention (verbose Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal) is an international Treaty that

Transport

The first-class location and the transportation infrastructure make Basel the top logistics center for Switzerland. Basel’s airport is set up for airfreight; heavy goods reach the city and the heart of continental Europe from the North Sea by ship along the Rhine. The main European routes for the highway and railway transportation of freight cross in Basel. The outstanding location benefits logistics corporations, which operate globally from Basel. Trading firms are traditionally well represented in the Basel Region.

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. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is operated jointly by two countries, France and Switzerland. EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is an international airport near Basel ( Switzerland) Mulhouse ( France) and Freiburg ( Contrary to popular belief, 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; there is a customs point at the middle of the airport so that people can "emigrate" to the other side of the airport.

Basel Badischer Bahnhof German railway station

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 (Basel SNCF) stations are actually in the same complex, separated by Customs and Immigration facilities). Swiss Federal Railways ( German: SBB Schweizerische Bundesbahnen French: CFF Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses Italian: FFS Ferrovie federali svizzere SNCF ( Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) (French National Railway Company is a French public enterprise The largest goods railway complex of the country is located just outside the city, spanning the municipalities of Muttenz and Pratteln. The new highspeed ICE railway line from Karlsruhe to Basel will be completed in 2008 while phase I of the TGV-Est line, opened in June 2007, has reduced travel time from Basel to Paris to 3 1/2 hours. The LGV Est européenne (sometimes referred to as LGV Est) is an extension to the French high-speed TGV network connecting Paris and Strasbourg

Basel has an extensive public transportation network serving the city and connecting to surrounding suburbs. The green-colored local trams and buses are operated by the BVB (Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe). For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. The yellow-colored buses and trams are operated by the BLT Baselland Transport, and connect areas in the nearby half-canton of Baselland to central Basel. BLT (Baselland transport is a public transport company in Basel Switzerland. The trams are powered by overhead lines, and the bus fleet is mix of electric and conventional fuel-powered vehicles. Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit Electrical energy to Trams Trolleybuses or Trains at a distance from the The BVB also shares commuter bus lines in cooperation with transit authorities in the neighboring Alsace region in France and Baden region in Germany. Alsace (Alsace alzas Alsatian and Elsass pre-1996 German: Elsaß; Alsatia is one of the 26 Regions of France, located on the eastern This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Regio-S-Bahn Basel, the commuter rail network connecting to suburbs surrounding the city, is jointly operated by SBB, SNCF and DB.

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. 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 or 30 yards. A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United 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.

A panoramic view of Basel, looking North over Kleinbasel (smaller Basel). The blue tower in the centre is Switzerland's tallest building, the Messeturm; the bridge on the extreme right is the Wettsteinbrücke, Basel's second oldest bridge but recently replaced by a new structure. The first bridge on the left is the Mittlere Brücke (Middle or Central Bridge), the oldest bridge in Basel.

Industry and trade

Marktplatz, Basel's market square.

Fair building (hall 2) in Basel

Basel Munster

Rathaus, Basel's Town Hall.

An annual Federal Swiss trade fair (Mustermesse) takes place in Kleinbasel on the right bank of the Rhine. Other important trade shows include "BaselWorld" (watches and jewelry), Art Basel, Orbit and Cultura. Baselworld Watch and Jewellery Show is a trade show for the Watch and Jewelery industry organized annually in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal Ornament, such as a necklace ring or bracelet made from Gemstones Art Basel is an international contemporary Art exhibition held each year in Basel Switzerland.

The Swiss chemical industry operates largely from Basel, with Novartis, Syngenta, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant, and Hoffmann-La Roche headquartered there. Novartis International AG is a multinational Pharmaceutical company based in Basel Switzerland that manufactures drugs such as Clozapine Syngenta AG is a large global Agribusiness which markets Seeds and crop protection products ( Pesticides) Ciba is a Chemical company based in and near Basel, Switzerland. Clariant ( is a Swiss speciality Chemical company which was formed in 1995 as a spin off from Sandoz. F Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd is a Swiss global health-care company which operates world-wide under two divisions Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals have become the modern focus of the city's industrial production. Some of the chemical industry's most notable creations include DDT, Araldite, Valium, Rohypnol and LSD. DDT (from its trivial name D ichloro- D iphenyl- T richloroethane is one of the best known synthetic Pesticides It is a chemical with a long Araldite is a registered Trademark of Huntsman Advanced Materials (previously part of Ciba) referring to their range of engineering and structural Diazepam (daɪˈæzɨpæm first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche, is a Benzodiazepine derivative Drug. Flunitrazepam (ˌfluːnaɪˈtræzəpæm is a highly potent Hypnotic drug with powerful Sedative, Anxiolytic, Amnestic, and Skeletal

UBS AG maintains central offices in Basel, giving finance a pivotal role in the local economy. UBS AG ( SWX: UBSN) is a diversified global financial services company with its main headquarters in Basel & Zürich, Switzerland The importance of banking began when the Bank for International Settlements located within the city in 1930. The Bank for International Settlements (or BIS) is an International organization of Central banks which "fosters international monetary and Basel's innovative financial industry includes institutions like the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision is an institution created by the Central bank Governors of the Group of Ten nations. Responsible for the Basel Accords (Basel I and Basel II) , this organization fundamentally changed Risk Management within its industry. Basel I is the round of deliberations by central bankers from around the world and in 1988, the Basel Committee (BCBS in Basel, Switzerland Basel II (also known as Βασιλεία ΙΙ in Greek) is the second of the Basel Accords, which are recommendations on banking laws and regulations For non-business risks see Risk or the disambiguation page Risk analysis.

Basel has Switzerland's tallest building, Basler Messeturm. The Basler Messeturm (Basel Trade Fair Tower located in Basel at, is Switzerland's Tallest building.

Quarters

Basel is subdivided into 19 quarters (Quartiere). The municipalities of Riehen and Bettingen, outside the city limits of Basel, are included in the canton of Basel-City as rural quarters (Landquartiere). Riehen is a municipality in the canton of Basel-City in Switzerland. Bettingen is a municipality in the canton of Basel-City in Switzerland.

Architecture

The red sandstone Münster, 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 fourteenth and fifteenth century, extensively reconstructed in the mid-nineteenth century and further restored in the late twentieth century. In English usage Minster is an honorific title attached to certain major medieval churches A memorial to Erasmus lies inside the Münster.

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, composed of buildings by architects such as Zaha Hadid (fire station), Frank Gehry (design museum), Alvaro Siza Vieira (factory building) and Tadao Ando (conference centre). The Beyeler Foundation or Fondation Beyeler with its Museum in Riehen near Basel owns and oversees the art collection of Hildy and Ernst Beyeler Renzo Piano (born September 14 1937) is a world renowned Italian Zaha Hadid (زها حديد CBE (born October 31 1950 Baghdad, Iraq) is a notable British Iraqi deconstructivist Architect Frank Owen Gehry CC (born Ephraim Owen Goldberg, February 28, 1929) is a Pritzker Prize -winning Architect The Vitra Design Museum is an internationally renowned privately owned museum for Design in Weil am Rhein, Germany. Álvaro Joaquim de Melo Siza Vieira, GOSE, GCIH, (born 25 June 1933 in Matosinhos) is a Japanese Architect whose approach to Architecture was once categorised as Critical regionalism. Basel also features buildings by Mario Botta (Jean Tinguely Museum and Bank of International settlements) and Herzog & de Meuron (whose architectural practice is in Basel, and who are best known as the architects of Tate Modern in London). Mario Botta (born April 1, 1943) is a famous modern Architect born in Mendrisio, Ticino canton Switzerland. Herzog & de Meuron Architekten BSA/SIA/ETH ( HdeM) is a Swiss Architecture firm founded and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland in The Tate Modern in London is Britain 's national museum of international Modern art and is with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, The city received the Wakker Prize in 1996. The Wakker Prize (in German Wakkerpreis, in French Prix Wakker, in Italian Premio Wakker) is awarded annually by the Swiss Heritage Society Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar)

Heritage sites

Basel features a great number of heritage sites of national significance. The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance (Schweizerisches Inventar der Kulturgüter von nationaler und regionaler Bedeutung Inventaire suisse ^[13] These include the entire Old Town of Basel as well as the following buildings and collections:

Churches and monasteries

Basel Münster, St. The Basel Münster ( Basler Münster) is one of the main landmarks and tourist attractions of the Swiss city of Basel. Albankirche, Kirche St. Antonius, the former Barfüsserkirche, Elisabethenkirche, Klingentalkirche, Leonhardskirche, Martinskirche, Pauluskirche, Peterskirche, Alt Katholische Predigerkirche, Johanneskirche, Theodorskirche (with Early Middle Age gravefield), the synagogue (1867), the former Kartause (later an orphanage) and the Kleines Klingental (formerly a Dominican monastery).

Secular buildings

Haus zum Raben, Dompropstei (Antikenmuseum), Goldener Sternen, Seidenhof (with a monument to Rudolf von Habsburg), Kleiner Kirschgarten, Im Vogelsang housing estate, Bruderholzschulhaus, Safranzunft, Schloss Gundeldingen, Brunschwilerhaus, Holsteinerhof, Spiesshof, City hall, Geltenzunft, Haus Auf Burg (with Sacher archive), Domhof, Schönes Haus and Schöner Hof, Zerkindenhof, Wildtsches Haus, Blaues Haus (Reichensteinerhof), Weisses Haus (Wendelstörferhof), Sandgrube, Bischofshof, Ramsteinerhof, Hohenfirstenhof, Haus zur Mücke, Wohnhaus für alleinstehende Frauen (1928), Feuerschützenhaus, Spalenhof, Lohnhof, Gate of Saint Alban, Gate of Saint John, the city walls with the Letziturm and the inner wall tower, Gate of Spalen, the Hoffmann-La Roche premises, Bürgerspital (1940-45), Badischer Bahnhof with fountain (1913), central railway station (1907), Mittlere Rheinbrücke, Fischmarktbrunnen. Founded in 1961 the Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig (Basel Museum of Ancient Art and Ludwig Collection is one of the many Museums in the Swiss Rudolph I, also known as Rudolph of Habsburg ( German: Rudolf von Habsburg, Latin Rudolfus) May 1, 1218 &ndash Paul Sacher ( 28 April 1906 &ndash 26 May 1999) was a Swiss conductor, Patron and Impresario. The Gate of Saint Alban (in German St Alban-Tor or Sankt-Alban-Tor) is a former City gate in the ancient city walls of Basel The Gate of Saint John (in German St Johanns-Tor or Sankt-Johanns-Tor) is a former City gate in the ancient city walls of Basel The Gate of Spalen (in German Spalentor) is a former City gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. F Hoffmann–La Roche Ltd is a Swiss global health-care company which operates world-wide under two divisions Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Basel Badischer Bahnhof is a Railway station situated in the Swiss city of Basel. Basel SBB is the central Railway station in the city of Basel in Switzerland.

Archaeological sites

Gallo-Roman settlement on the Gasfabrik premises, Alemannic burial fields Gotterbarmweg and Kleinhüningen, early medieval buildings Schneidergasse 2-16. This article covers the culture of Romanized areas of Gaul. For the political history of the brief "Gallic Empire" of the 3rd century see Gallic Empire

Museums, archives and collections

State Archives, Swiss Economic Archives, University library, Antikenmuseum, Art Museum and engravings cabinet, Museum of Contemporary Art, Gallizianmühle, Natural History Museum (with Rütimeyer library), Museum of Cultures, Kirschgartenmuseum, Historical Museum, Jewish Museum, Music Museum, Sport Museum, Sculpture Hall, Anatomical collection, Stadt- und Münstermuseum (Kleines Klingental), Gewerbemuseum, Pharmazie-Historisches Museum, Caricature and Cartoon Museum. The University of Basel (German Universität Basel) is located at Basel, Switzerland. The Kunstmuseum Basel houses the largest and most significant public Art collection in Switzerland, and is listed as a heritage site of national significance The Museum of Contemporary Art ( german: Museum für Gegenwartskunst) in Basel opened in 1980 as the first public Museum in Europe The Basel Paper Mill ( German Basler Papiermühle) also known as the Swiss Museum for Paper Writing and Printing ( German Schweizerisches With a heritage dating back over 300 years the Natural History Museum of Basel ( German Naturhistorisches Museum Basel) houses wide-ranging collections The Museum of Cultures Basel ( German Museum der Kulturen Basel) is a Swiss museum of Ethnography with large and important collections of artifacts Opened in 1894 the Basel Historical Museum ( Historisches Museum Basel) is one of the largest and most important museums of its kind in Switzerland, and a heritage The Music Museum of the Basel History Museum in the former Lohnhof prison houses Switzerland’s largest collection of Musical instruments The Music Museum is The Pharmazie-Historisches Museum ("Museum of Pharmacy" in Basel is dedicated to pharmaceutical history and houses one of the world’s largest collections The Caricature & Cartoon Museum Basel (founded in 1979 is devoted to Cartoons parodies and Pastiches of works of art and artists Comics and

Education

Basel hosts Switzerland's oldest university, the University of Basel, dating from 1459. The University of Basel (German Universität Basel) is located at Basel, Switzerland. Erasmus, Paracelsus, Daniel Bernoulli, Leonhard Euler, Jacob Burckhardt, and Friedrich Nietzsche worked here. Paracelsus (11 November or 17 December 1493 in Einsiedeln Switzerland – 24 September 1541 in Salzburg, Austria) was an alchemist, Daniel Bernoulli ( Groningen, 29 January 1700 &ndash 27 July 1782 was a Dutch - Swiss Mathematician, who is particularly remembered for his applications Jacob Christoph Burckhardt ( May 25, 1818, Basel, Switzerland &ndash August 8, 1897, Basel was a Swiss Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15 1844 August 25 1900 ( was a nineteenth-century German philosopher and classical philologist More recently, its work in tropical medicine has gained prominence.

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. The International school Basel is a learning facilities where the student are pressured to the point of breaking 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. The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the states of the Federal state of Switzerland. Basel-City (in German:) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. Basel-Country ( German:; Swiss German: Basel-Land / Baselbiet) is one of the 26 Cantons of Switzerland. Aargau ( German; rarely anglicized Argovia) is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland.

Energy

Basel is at the forefront of a national vision to more than halve energy use in Switzerland by the year 2050. 2050 ( MML) will be a Common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. In order to research, develop and commercialise the technologies and techniques required for the country to become a '2000 Watt society', a number of projects have been set up since 2001 in the Basel metropolitan area. The 2000-watt society (2000-Watt Society is a vision originated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich at the end of 1998 in which each person in the Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. These including demonstration buildings constructed to MINERGIE or Passivhaus standards, electricity generation from renewable energy sources (including a hot dry rock geothermal energy project which caused significant tremors^[14]), and vehicles using natural gas, hydrogen and biogas. MINERGIE is a registered quality label for new and refurbished low-energy-consumption buildings The term passive house ( Passivhaus in German) refers to the rigorous voluntary Passivhaus standard for energy use in buildings Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Energy (HDR is a type of Geothermal power production that uses the very high temperatures (approx 200 Celsius that can be found in rocks Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, The hydrogen economy is a proposed method of deriving the Energy needed for Motive power (cars boats airplanes buildings or portable electronics by reacting See also Natural gas, Biofuel Biogas typically refers to a Gas produced by the biological breakdown of Organic matter in the ^[15]

People from Basel

• Lucius Munatius Plancus (c. Lucius Munatius Plancus (ca 87 BC-ca 15 BC was a Roman senator, Consul in 42 BC and censor in 22 BC with Aemilius Lepidus Paullus. 87 BC - c. 15 BC), city founder
• Joachim Meyer (c. Joachim Meyer (1537? - 1571 was a self described Freifechter (literally Free Fencer living in the then Free Imperial City of Strassburg in the 16th century 1537?-1571), fencer and author
• James Bernoulli (1654-1705), mathematician
• Johann Bernoulli (1667-1748), mathematician
• Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782) mathematician
• Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), mathematician
• Jakob Emanuel Handmann (1718-1781), painter
• Johann Peter Hebel (1760-1826), poet & author
• Jacob Burckhardt (1818-1897), professor in history, theology, philosophy
• Karl Barth (1886-1968), Reformed Protestant theologian
• Peter Birkhäuser (1911-1976), painter
• Arthur Cohn (1927- ), film producer (won 6 Oscars)
• Roger Federer (1981- ), tennis player
• Katy French (1983-2007), Model and Socialite
• Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998), religious philosopher

People in Basel

• Albert Hoffman (1906-2008), chemist, inventor of LSD
• Ana Ivanovic (1987), woman tennis player, winner of 2008 french open

Sport

Basel has a reputation in Switzerland as a successful sporting city. For other family members named Jacob see Bernoulli family. Jacob Bernoulli (also known as James or Jacques) ( Basel A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and research is the field of Mathematics. Johann Bernoulli ( Basel, 27 July 1667 - 1 January 1748 was a Swiss Mathematician. A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and research is the field of Mathematics. Daniel Bernoulli ( Groningen, 29 January 1700 &ndash 27 July 1782 was a Dutch - Swiss Mathematician, who is particularly remembered for his applications A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and research is the field of Mathematics. A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and research is the field of Mathematics. Emanuel Handmann (born 1718 in Basel, died 1781 in Bern) was a Swiss painter. Johann Peter Hebel ( 10 May, 1760 – 22 September, 1826) was a German short story writer and dialectal poet most famous for Jacob Christoph Burckhardt ( May 25, 1818, Basel, Switzerland &ndash August 8, 1897, Basel was a Swiss Karl Barth ( May 10, 1886 &ndash December 10, 1968) (pronounced "bart" a Swiss Reformed theologian was one Peter Birkhäuser ( 7 June 1911 - 1976 was a Swiss poster artist, Portraitist and visionary painter, noted for Arthur Cohn (born February 4, 1927 in Basel, Switzerland) is a Film producer. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. Roger Federer (ˈrɒdʒə ˈfɛdərər born August 8 1981 is a Swiss professional Tennis player who is currently ranked World No Katy Ellen French ( 31 October 1983 &ndash 6 December 2007) was an Irish Socialite and model Frithjof Schuon, ( June 18, 1907 &ndash May 5, 1998) was a German philosopher metaphysician and author of numerous books on religion and spirituality Albert Hoffman, Albert Hoffmann or Albert Hofmann could refer to Albert Hoffman (artist (1915-1993 an American artist Ana Ivanović ( Serbian Cyrillic: Ана Ивановић ˈana iˈvaːnɔviʨ born November 6 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia, then Yugoslavia The football club FC Basel continues to be successful and in recognition of this the city will be one of the venues for the 2008 European Championships, as well as Geneva, Zürich and Bern. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Footballclub Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Football Championship, a quadrennial football Geneva (Genève is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French -speaking Zürich (, Zürich German: Züri, Zurich, Zurigo; in English generally Zurich) is the largest city in Switzerland and capital of the The city of Berne or Bern (, Berne, Berna, Romansh: Berna, Bernese German: Bärn) is the Bundesstadt ( Federal The championships will be jointly hosted by Switzerland and Austria. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich

Basel features a large football stadium, a modern ice hockey hall and an admitted sports hall. is a Swiss sports stadium It is the largest football venue in Switzerland and home to FC Basel. Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice.

The largest indoor tennis event in Europe occurs in Basel every October. The best ATP-Professionals play every year at the "Swiss Indoors". The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP was formed in 1972 to protect the interests of male professional Tennis players

Culture

Marching band Schränz-Gritte at the Basler Fasnacht carnival 2006

Basel has a reputation as one of the most important cultural cities in Europe. In 1997, it contended to become the "European Capital of Culture". Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one Calendar year during which it is given a chance to showcase its In May 2004, the fifth EJCF choir festival opened: this Basel tradition started in 1992. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The European Festival of Youth Choirs ( Europäisches Jugendchorfestival EJCF) is a triennial international Festival for Youth Choirs mainly from Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Host of this festival is the local Basel Boys Choir. The KKB's logo Formed in 1927 the Basel Boys Choir ( Knabenkantorei

The carnival of the city of Basel (Basler Fasnacht) is a major cultural event in the year. Carnival is a festival season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March The Carnival of Basel (Basler Fasnacht is the biggest Carnival in Switzerland and takes place annually between February and March in Basel. The carnival is the biggest in Switzerland and attracts large crowds every year, despite the fact that it starts at four in the morning (Morgestraich) and lasts for exactly 72 hours, taking in various parades.

For more information see also "Welcome to Basel Fasnacht", February 2001

Basler Zeitung ("Baz") is the local newspaper. Basler Zeitung (BaZ is a regional Newspaper, published in Basel, Switzerland.

Museums

Botanical Garden of the University[1] and [2]

The Basel Museums cover a broad and diverse spectrum of collections with a marked concentration in the fine arts. A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the A Museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions Education, Research Fine art is any Art form developed primarily for Aesthetics rather than Utility. 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. 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 of avant-garde museum architecture. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation

• Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig Ancient cultures of the mediterranean museum [3]
• Augusta Raurica Roman open-air museum [4]
• Basel Paper Mill (German: Basler Papiermühle) [5]
• Beyeler Foundation (Fondation Beyeler) Beyeler Museum (Fondation Beyeler)
• Botanical Garden Basel One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world
• Caricature & Cartoon Museum Basel (German: Karikatur & Cartoon Museum Basel) [6]
• Dollhouse Museum (German: Puppenhausmuseum) [7]
• Historical Museum Basel (German: Historisches Museum Basel) [8]
• Kunsthalle Basel Modern and contemporary art museum [9]
• Kunstmuseum Basel Upper Rhenish and Flemish paintings, drawings from 1400 to 1600 and 19th- to 21st-century art [10]
• Monteverdi Automuseum [11]
• Museum of Cultures Basel (German: Museum der Kulturen Basel) Large collections on European and non-Europeancultural life [12]
• Museum of Contemporary Art Art from the 1960s up to the present [13]
• Music Museum (German: Musikmuseum) of the Basel Historic Museum
• Natural History Museum of Basel (German: Naturhistorisches Museum Basel) [14]
• Pharmazie-Historisches Museum der Universität Basel [15]
• Schaulager Modern and contemporary art museum [16]
• Swiss Architecture Museum (German: Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum) [17]
• Tinguely Museum Life and work of the major Swiss iron sculptor Jean Tinguely [18]
• Vitra Design Museum Museum in Weil am Rhein near Basel [19]

See also

• Basel German (language)

Chronological table

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Basel official site
• Official tourism site
• Basel travel guide from Wikitravel
• EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, Basel-Mulhouse Airport
• [20]: Overview of museums in Basel or basel museums
• Portrait of Basel's tramways