Basel

Basel

Basel is Switzerland’s third-most-populous city with about 180,000 inhabitants. The official language of Basel is German, but the main spoken language is the local Basel German dialect. The city is famous for its many museums, ranging from the Kunstmuseum, the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world, to the Fondation Beyeler and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

About Basel in brief

Summary BaselBasel is Switzerland’s third-most-populous city with about 180,000 inhabitants. The official language of Basel is German, but the main spoken language is the local Basel German dialect. The city is famous for its many museums, ranging from the Kunstmuseum, the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world, to the Fondation Beyeler and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Basel has been the seat of a Prince-Bishopric since the 11th century, and joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1501. In 1897, Basel was chosen by Theodor Herzl as the location for the first World Zionist Congress, and altogether the congress has been held there ten times over a time span of 50 years. The name of the city is internationally known through institutions like the Basel Accords, Art Basel and FC Basel. In 2019 Basel was ranked among the ten most liveable cities by Mercer together with Zürich and Geneva. It is also home to the world headquarters of the Bank for International Settlements. There are traces of a settlement at the nearby Rhine knee from the early La Tène period. In the 2nd century BC, there was a village of the Raurici at the site ofBasel-Gasfabrik. The town became an outpost of the Provincia Maxima Sequanorum formed by Diocletian in the 3rd century. It appears that Basel surpassed the ancient regional capital of Augusta Raurica by the 7th century.

The Germanic confederation of the Alemanni attempted to cross the Rhine several times in the 4th century but were repelled; one such event was the Battle of Solicinium. In AD 83, the area was incorporated into the Roman province of Germania Superior. The Duchy of Alemannia fell under Frankish rule in the 6th century and Basel gradually grew around the old Roman castle in the 5th and 7th centuries. It was part of the Archdiocese of Besançon, replacing the ancient bishopric of Augusta. At the partition of the Carolingian Empire, Basle was first given to West Francia with the donation of the Meterssen of Meerssen. The rebuilt town became part of Upper Burgundy, and as such was incorporated as such into the Holy Roman Empire in 1032. From 1032 until the Reformation, all its possessions and possessions were given to Bishop Adalbero of Metersen until the Treaty of Moutier-Grandvalo II in 999. In 1032, the city was given to the Holy Holy Empire by Rudolph III of Burgundy and its possessions were donated to the Bishop of Adalmero II. It became such such such as such such a donation as such as the Meterbero II and all possessions were handed to the Church of St Sauveur.