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Basel

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Coordinates: 47°34′N 7°36′E
                         Basel
                 Coat of Arms of Basel
   Canton       Basel-Stadt
   District     n.a.
   Coordinates  47°34′N 7°36′E
   Population   166120   ( December 2002)
   Area         22.75  km²
   Elevation    260  m
   Postal code  4000
   Mayor        Ralph Lewin ( Pres. of Cantonal exec.)
   Website      www.basel.ch
                         Basel

   Basel (British English traditionally: Basle [bɑːl] and more recently
   Basel ['ba:zəl], German: Basel ['ba:zəl], French: Bâle [bɑl], Italian:
   Basilea [bazi'leːa]) is Switzerland's third most populous city (166,563
   inhabitants ( 2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the conurbation stretching
   across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel
   Switzerland's second-largest urban area as of 2003).

   Located in north-west Switzerland on the river Rhine, Basel functions
   as a major industrial centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical
   industry. The city borders both Germany and France. The Basel region,
   culturally extending into German Baden and French Alsace, reflects the
   heritage of its three states in the modern Latin name: " Regio
   TriRhena". It has the oldest university of the Swiss Confederation (
   1460).

History

   Basel traces its history back at least as far as the days of the Roman
   Empire settlement of Augusta Raurica though even older Celtic
   settlements (including a vitrified fort) have been discovered recently
   predating the Roman castle. 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".

   From 999, Basel was ruled by prince-bishops (see Bishop of Basel)

   In 1019 the construction of the cathedral of Basel (known locally as
   the Munster) began under German Emperor Heinrich II.

   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.

   In 1356 an earthquake caused extensive damage in the city destroying a
   vast number of castles in the vicinity, allowing the city to offer
   courts in the city to nobles as an alternative to rebuilding their
   castles in exchange for their protection of the city. The De Bâle
   family moves in and helps rebuild the city and surrounding country, but
   set up house in Basel-Land.

   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
   election of antipope Felix V.

   In 1459 Pope Pius II endowed the University of Basel where notables
   like Erasmus of Rotterdam, Paracelsus and Hans Holbein the Younger
   taught. At the same time printing was introduced in Basel by
   apprentices of Gutenberg. 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.

   In 1495, Basel was incorporated in the Upper Rhenish Imperial Circle,
   the bishop sitting on the Bench of the Ecclesiastical Princes.

   In 1500 the construction of the cathedral of Basel (German: Münster)
   was finished.

   In 1501 Basel de-facto separated from the Holy Roman Empire and joined
   the Swiss Confederation as 11th state, and began of the construction of
   the city council building. The bishop continued to reside in Basel
   until the reformation of Oecolampadius in 1529. The bishop's crook was
   however retained as the city's coat of arms.

   In March 1536 the first edition of Christianae religionis institutio (
   Institutes of the Christian Religion) was published in Latin by John
   Calvin at Basel. 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.

   In 1543 De humani corporis fabrica, the first anatomy book was
   published and printed in Basel by Andreas Vesalius ( 1514– 1564).

   In 1662 the Amerbaschsches Kabinett formed the basis of a collection
   and exposition, forming the core of the museum of art of Basel.

   In 1912, the extraordinary congress of the Second International was
   held in Basel, due to the outbreak of the Balkan Wars

Transportation

   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.

   EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is the only airport in the world
   operated jointly by three countries, France and Switzerland and
   Germany. 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 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). The largest goods railway complex of 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
   will be reducing travel time from Basel to Paris by the year 2007.

   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). 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. The trams are powered by overhead lines, and the bus
   fleet is mix of electric and conventional fuel-powered vehicles. The
   BVB also shares commuter bus lines in cooperation with transit
   authorities in the neighboring Alsace region in France and Baden region
   in Germany. 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. These four ferries are tied to a cable-pulley
   system that spans the river. To cross the river, the ferries face the
   opposite bank and utilize the current on their flank for lateral
   propulsion. This form of transportation is therefore completely
   hydraulically driven, requiring no outside energy source.
   A panoramic view of Basel, looking east over Kleinbasel (smaller
   Basel).
   A panoramic view of Basel, looking east over Kleinbasel (smaller
   Basel).

Industry and trade

   Marktplatz, Basel's market square.
   Enlarge
   Marktplatz, Basel's market square.
   Rathaus, Basel's Town Hall.
   Enlarge
   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.

   The Swiss chemical industry operates largely from Basel, with Novartis,
   Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant, and Hoffmann-La Roche headquartered
   there. 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.

   UBS AG maintains central offices in Basel, giving finance a pivotal
   role in the local economy. The importance of banking began when the
   Bank for International Settlements located within the city in 1930.
   Basel's innovative financial industry includes institutions like the
   Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Responsible for the Basel
   Accords ( Basel I and Basel II) , this organization fundamentally
   changed Risk Management within its industry.

   Basel has Switzerland's tallest building, Basler Messeturm.

Quarters

   Basel is not subdivided into official counties, districts or boroughs,
   but into unofficial quarters. There are 19 quarters; the municipalities
   of Riehen and Bettingen are not included.
             Quartier              ha             Quartier              ha
   Central quarter of Grossbasel  37.63 Central quarter of Kleinbasel   24.21
   Suburbs                        89.66 Claire                          23.66
   Am Ring                        90.98 Wettstein                       75.44
   Breite                         68.39 Hirzbrunnen                    305.32
   Saint Alban                   294.46 Rosental                        64.33
   Gundeldingen                  123.19 Matthew                         59.14
   Bruderholz                    259.61 Klybeck                         91.19
   Bachletten                    151.39 Kleinhüningen                  136.11
   Gotthelf                       46.62 City of Basel                 2275.05
   Iselin                        109.82 Riehen                        1086.10
   Saint John                    223.90 Bettingen                      222.69
                                        Canton of Basel-City          3583.84

Architecture

   The Romanesque Münster, with its two (uneven) towers forms an
   architectural monument which survived medieval earthquake. The tomb of
   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, comprised of buildings by architects
   such as Zaha Hadid (fire station), Frank Gehry ( design museum) and
   Tadao Ando (conference centre). Basel also features buildings by Mario
   Botta (Jean Tinguely Museum and Bank of International settlements)and
   Herzog & de Meuron (originally from Basel, but otherwise known as the
   architects of the Tate Modern in London).

   Basel received the Wakker Prize in 1996.

Education

   Basel hosts Switzerland's oldest university, the University of Basel,
   dating from 1459. Erasmus, Paracelsus, Daniel Bernoulli, Leonhard Euler
   and Friedrich Nietzsche worked here. 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. 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.

   Throughout history, Basel has been the host to numerous accords. In
   1499 Treaty of Basel was signed to conclude the Swabian War, in effect
   allowing Basel to join the Swiss Confederation. In 1795, the Peace of
   Basel allowed the cessation of fighting in the French Revolutionary
   Wars against the First Coalition. 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 umbrella organization would
   later play an instrumental role in the creation of the Jewish state of
   Israel. 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. To date, most developed states have
   ratified this accord.

People from Basel

     * Lucius Munatius Plancus (c.87 BC - c.15 BC), city founder
     * Jacob Bernoulli (1654-1705), mathematician
     * Johann Bernoulli (1667-1748), mathematician
     * Daniel Bernoulli (1700-1782) mathematician
     * Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), mathematician
     * Johann Bernoulli (1710–1790), 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), theologian
     * Arthur Cohn (1927--), film producer (won 6 Oscars)
     * Daniel Bernoulli (1936-?) Geologist
     * Beat Raaflaub (1946--), conductor
     * -minu (1947--), columnist
     * Dani Levy (1957--), film maker
     * Patty Schnyder (1978--), tennis player
     * Roger Federer (1981--), tennis player
     * Sarah Stocker, artist and writer

Sport

   Basel has a reputation in Switzerland as a successful sporting city.
   The soccer 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. The championships
   will be jointly hosted by Switzerland and Austria.

   The largest indoor tennis event in Europe occurs in Basel every
   October. The best ATP-Professionals play every year at the "Davidoff
   Swiss Indoors".

   In 2002, the World Judo Championships took place in Basel.

   Basel features a large soccer stadium, a modern ice hockey hall and an
   admitted sports hall.

   Basel hosts a yearly running championship for all ages, the Basler
   Stadtlauf, and a yearly marathon since 2005.

Culture

   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". In May 2004, the fifth EJCF choir festival opened: this Basel
   tradition started in 1992. Host of this festival is the local Basel
   Boys Choir.

   The city is also known for "The Basel Elite", the posh and old money
   social circle that the city can more than cater to. Although
   Switzerland can technically have no nobility since such a status would
   depend on the country being a monarchy, which it is not, the Basel
   Elite would be the closest thing, and are represented as such by their
   familiarities with present-day nobilities from bordering countries. One
   such example is the DeBâle family of Allschwil, who have lived in the
   area for centuries, but have not acknowledged the nobility that has
   been bestowed upon them from actual monarchies.
   Marching band Schränz-Gritte at the Basler Fasnacht carnival 2006
   Enlarge
   Marching band Schränz-Gritte at the Basler Fasnacht carnival 2006

   The carnival of the city of Basel ( Basler Fasnacht) is a major
   cultural event in the year. The carnival is one of 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

   Basler Zeitung is the local newspaper.

Museums

     * Historical Museum Basel
     * Kunstmuseum Basel Museum für Gegenwartskunst
     * Tinguely museum
     * Antikenmuseum Basel
     * Architekturmuseum Basel
     * Puppenhausmuseum
     * Pharmazie-Historisches Museum Basel
     * Naturhistorisches Museum Basel
     * Fondation Beyeler Beyeler Museum (Fondation Beyeler)

Chronological table

    Year                                    Event
 < 58 BC     Rauracian (Celtic) agglomeration on the Rhine
 58 BC       Exodus of the Helvetians and Rauracians (Battle of Bibracte)
 44- 43 BC   Lucius Munatius Plancus founds the Roman colony Colonia
             Raurica, that will later become colonia Augusta Raurica
 12 BC       The oppidum of Basel is one of the supporting points for the
             Roman troops during the campaigns of Tiberius against the Rhaetians
 1st century Occupation of the Agri Decumates (southern Germany); the
             Roman fortified place of Basel becomes a vicus.
 3rd century Alemanni invasions. The Roman Vicus of Basel becomes again
             a fortified place
             To be continued ..
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