Basel

The largest city in Switzerland after Zurich. Basel is the centre of very prosperous industrial, business, and financial activities. © Walter Egloff - age fotostock

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The second largest city in Switzerland, lying on the border between France and Germany, on the banks of the Rhine, Basel is renowned for its pharmaceutical industry. The city is home to an old pedestrian city, with an international atmosphere and abounding cultural life (over 30 museums). Basel is actually set to become the cultural capital of Europe in 2001$. The Old City is divided into Great Basel and Small Basel straddling both banks of the Rhine, and linked by the "Middle Bridge" built in 1225. In the market square (Marktplatz) lies the city hall, a red builing erected at the dawn of the 16th Century. Not far from here, the Blue house and the White house, built in 1768, are undoubtedly the most beautiful houses in the city. The Cathedral square (Münsterplatz) is an absolute wonder of Roman and Gothic arts, of which every little detail is worth examining. The Cordeliers Church square (Barfüsserplatz) is equally impressive. On the other side of the Rhine, Small Basel also offers lovely scenes through its alleys flanked by middle-age homes, and charming cafés. Amongst the numerous museums, pay a visit to the museum of Fine Arts (Kunstmuseum), considered as the richest in the country. It houses a collection of roughly 3 000 works running from the primitive masters and the Renaissance, to the the splendid works of the impressionist and cubist painters. The historical museum, located in the Cordeliers church, is a concentration of all the sacred treasures of the city. Finally, do not fail to visit the Jean-Tnguely museum, located in a building designed by the architect, Mario Botta, that depicts some of the most incredible kinetic sculptures and other fantastic machines created by Switzerland's greatest contemporary artist. Not far from Basel, in the German town of Weil, you can also pay a visit to the superb Vitra Design Museum, designed by the architect, Frank Gehry, that retraces the development of furniture and design from 1850 to present day.