Basel, Switzerland

Basel, Switzerland, as seen from the Müster
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basel-Muensterblick-2006-patpatpat3.jpg
Author: patpatpat


Basel is the third biggest city in Switzerland. Located in the northern part of Switzerland, it covers 22.75 sq km (8.78 sq mi). Basel has a population of 170,000 (2011 estimate), within a metropolitan area of 830,000. Being located at the border with France and Germany, Basel's metropolitan area sprawls to include suburbs in both countries.

Interior of the Basel Müster
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basler_Muenster_Mittelschiff.jpg
Author: Taxiarchos228


Elisabethankirche, Basel
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elisabethenkirche_Basel_2006_820.JPG
Author: Norbert Aepli


Basel is on the banks of the Rhine across from the state of Baden-Wüttemberg in Germany and Alsace in France. It is a center for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries of Switzerland, and is home to the oldest university of the Swiss Confederation. The locals of Basel speak a dialect of Swiss German called Basel German.

The history of Basel goes back to the founding of the Roman settlement of Augusta Raurica about 10 to 20 km upstream from the present city. The earliest documentation of Basel appeared in AD 374, when it was mentioned as Basilea or Basilia in Latin. Basel joined the Swiss Confederation in 1501. It was its 11th canton.

Basel is located at an elevation from 244 m (at the shore of the Rhine) to 260 m (853 ft). The warmest month here is July, when the average high temperature reaches 24.2°C (75.6°F). During the coldest month, January, average low temperature drops to -1.9°C (28.6°F).

Basler Rathaus (City Hall of Basel)
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basler_Rathaus.jpg
Author: Wladyslaw

Visiting Basel, Switzerland

You can fly to Basel, landing at the Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL/MHL/EAP), which is located in France but serves Basel and Freiburg in Germany. It is jointly operated by France and Switzerland. From the airport, you can take a train to the Basel SBB train station.

You can also take the train to Basel from many major cities in Western Europe. Basel has two train stations. The Basel SBB train station is on the southern part of the city while the Basel Badischer Bahnhof is in Kleinbasel in the north.

Places of Interest in Basel, Switzerland