With 184,000 inhabitants, Basel is the third biggest town in Switzerland. It is located in the north-west part of the country where the Rhine bends and shares borders with Germany and France. Basel is a cosmopolitan town and has a definite very infectious charm.
The Basel Region extends over two half cantons, Basel-stadt and Basel-region, and is home to over 452,000 inhabitants.
Basel is divided into two parts, Greater Basel (Grossbasel) and Lesser Basel (Kleinbasel). They are separated from each other by the Rhine. Greater Basel lies on the left – southern - bank of the Rhine and Lesser Base on the right – northern - bank. Basel's urban physionomy is dominated by the very large, well-preserved and romantic old town, within which more and more modern buildings designed by well-known architects are beginning to appear.
Basel's town centre in Greater Basel has everything the heart could desire, from the inviting treasure troves of small shops to the big stores. Lesser Basel too offers plenty of opportunities for a shop or a stroll. The Rheinbord (riverside) is particularly popular with sunbathers and walkers. In the Steinen-Vorstadt and the Barfüsserplatz there are restaurants, traditional and modern, and bars and pubs.
Parks
Young and old go to meet in the Schützenmatt park, Kannenfeld park or the 'Park im Grünen' (Grün 80). These oases of green offer not just respite from the hustle and bustle of the city but also inviting restaurants for refreshment – though the menus are not exactly cheap.
History
The origins of the town can be traced back to the 5th century BC when the Celts settled on the Rhine's „knee“. The place name Basilia (Basel) was first registered in the year 374, and in 1460 the first university on Switzerland's present territory was established, founded by Pope Pius II. In 1501 Basel joined the Swiss Confederacy.
Culture
The town is famous for its Museums. However, Basel is also well-known for its chemical industry and the national and international banking institutions based in the city. Basel is also a trade fair city: over 30 trade fairs are held there every year, of which the clock and jewellery fair, „Basel World“, and the art fair, „Art Basel“, are the best known and most important.
People from 150 countries across the world now live in Basel. Many of them live in Lesser Basel where shops and restaurants of many different nationalities find a new home.
Every year the Basler Fasnacht kicks off at exactly 04:00 on the Monday following Ash Wednesday with>the „Morning strike“ (Morgenstreich) when all street lights in the town are all turned off at once. The Fasnacht lasts for exactly three days and finishes punctually on Thursday morning at 04:00 am with the „Strike's End“ (Endstreich). Basel residents think of these three days as the best three days of the year.
Zoological Garden
The Zoological Garden was opened in 1874 as the first Swiss zoo. Since then the Zolli, as it is affectionately referred to by the locals, is constantly being renovated and expanded. Today the Zoo’s mission is to make visitors aware of the conservation of species and environmental issues.
Beer in the locality
In Basel and its environs there are – or were – various breweries. Some are still there today and some have sadly disappeared in the course of time. In 1845 a total of eleven different breweries produced their own beer and 30 years later that number had climbed to 19 breweries in the region. Today there are only ca. four breweries still producing beer in the region.
Official Basel
Basel euro 2008
Basel tourism
http://www.basel.com
City Map
http://www.geo-bs.ch/stadtplan_stadtplan_karte.cfm?Typ=zonen&Zoom=1000
