Cultural capital of Switzerland, Basel is world famous for also being one of the most important cities for art and architecture. Every year one of the most important international artistic events, Art Basel, takes place in Basel. In addition to the numerous events in the halls and outdoors, there are many works of art that enrich the urban fabric at the end of each edition of the event.
Basel, the city of starchitects
This city is a strong attraction for internationally renowned architects. There have been many so-called starchitects who have left their signature on various buildings in Basel. Renzo Piano, Mario Botta, Frank O. Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Richard Meier, Alvaro Siza, Herzog & de Meuron are just some of the most excellent names to whom entire buildings are dedicated. These international stars in Basel designed buildings, museums (about forty), towers and much of what you see in the city today.
Starting from the historic atrium of the SBB station, the Euregio, an office building designed by the American architect Meier, the UBS training center, designed by Roger Diener, a bank building conceived as a round sculpture by Mario Botta, the Swiss architect who is considered a star throughout the country. There are numerous “designer” museums, such as the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen by Renzo Piano, the Tinguely Museum also built by Botta and the Torre della Fiera (105 metres, it is the tallest building in Switzerland) by Morger Degelo Marques.
The Dreispitz neighborhood
From an industrial district, the Dreispitz neighborhood has become the new hub for art and architecture and a place in constant transformation. Here, important exponents of the contemporary architectural scene have created notable projects that have changed the face of the neighborhood over the last ten years. There are buildings designed by the architects Morger + Dettli who created the Academy of Art and Design of the Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, while Herzog & de Meuron they completed the student hall and archive on campus and Zwimpfer Partner built the offices and student hall Oslo North. It is here that not only the Haus der Elektronischen Künste (HEK) and the new Kunsthaus Baselland (KHBL) reside, but also the Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Basel FHNW, a magnet for young artistic talents from all over the world.
Art Basel, what to know
In the month of June, every year since the 1970s, Art Basel takes place, the most important international art fair, an essential event for art collectors. Art Basel showcases the art of the 20th and 21st centuries and is the meeting point for artists, collectors and many important personalities of the art scene. Over 200 of the most renowned galleries in the world temporarily transform the Basel fair into a splendid museum where more than 4000 artists from all over the world exhibit their works. In addition to the art galleries, there are installations, but also films, photographs and dedicated meetings.
Art tours in Basel
In collaboration with the HEK, Basel Tourism has developed the ARTour, a guided tour through the city to discover all the artwork hidden in digital format and see them come to life through augmented reality technology for a unique experience from a visual and auditory point of view. From Münsterplatz through the historic center of Basel to the Totentanz, the city is alive with giant floating mushrooms and colorful jellyfish that react to the stimuli of visitors. Through the ARTour app for smartphones you can discover the works of contemporary multimedia artists together with the contexts in which they were created.
The historic center of Basel
Architects have changed the skyline of Basel, Switzerland’s third largest city after Zurich and Geneva, over the past few years, but the historic city center has remained intact, just as it once was. The center and the riverside (the Rhine) of Basel are a small jewel of art. Here visitors can follow the traces of the past of this city which has Roman origins (it was founded in 44 BC with the name of Augusta Raurica). The Tinguely fountain, the Münsterplatz with the cathedral, the Town Hall, the romantic alleys of the medieval city and the pier are just some of the places not to be missed when visiting Basel. Thanks to its compact size, the city can also be easily visited on foot. Among the museums not to be missed is the Kunstmuseum Basel, which houses the oldest public art collection in the world.
But, to stay on the subject of art, also the Cathedral Museum, the Museum of Antiquities, the Museum of Natural History and even the Museum of the History of Pharmaceuticals (after all, pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis and Hoffmann-La Roche have their own headquarters here). Such a harmonious combination of ancient and modern makes this historic center even more unique and particular.
Those who love comfort can take a journey through the history of the city with a ride on the nostalgic vintage tram. Or, thanks to the ferries powered by the current or the more modern taxi boats, you can admire the city with all its contrasts from a new point of view, the river.
How to get to Basel
Basel is located in the heart of Europe, on both banks of the Rhine. The city is located at the point where three nations meet: France, Germany and Switzerland. The city can be reached by plane, landing at the EuroAirport or at the nearby Zurich airport. You can easily reach the city by train as Basel has three stations or by car. Furthermore, cruise ships sailing along the Rhine dock every day and can therefore also be reached by river. Thanks to its human-scale dimensions and excellent public transport network, it is possible to move easily within the city and move easily from one place to another. Anyone who stays in one of the hotels in Basel receives a free BaselCard which allows you to travel for free on public transport and obtain discounts on entrance fees to museums, tourist buses, guided tours and bicycle rental.
