Outside of Switzerland, Basel (Bâle in French and Basilea in Italian) is not as well known as Zurich and Geneva, but that may change now that the city was given the nod by the European Broadcasting Union to host the Eurovision next year.
READ ALSO: Swiss city of Basel picked to host Eurovision 2025
It is just as well, because Basel is a very interesting and, in many respects, also a unique city.
This is why:
Its location
The Swiss-German city lies in the northeastern part of Switzerland, at the border of two countries: Germany and France.
Because of this unusual location, Basel is likely Switzerland’s most ‘international’ city, though Geneva has been claiming this title.
It is Switzerland third-most populous city (after Zurich and Geneva), with a population of just over 176,000 people.
Another unusual thing about Basel: it is Switzerland’s only port city.
Switzerland is a landlocked country, but the port on the Rhine river in Basel serves as an import import-export hub, with ships carrying merchandise to and from the North Sea.
In that sense, Switzerland does have a merchant navy!
Among the vestiges of Basel’s maritime past is Mittlere Brücke, one of five bridges spanning the river.
Dating back to 1226, it is one of the oldest Rhine crossings between Lake Constance in northern Switzerland and the North Sea.
Pharmaceutical industry
Basel is a major biotech centre not just in Switzerland but globally.
Several of the biggest pharma companies have their headquarters in or near the city — Novartis and Roche among them.
In fact, many of the city’s international residents (who make up over 36 percent of Basel’s population) work in the pharmaceutical sector.
But Basel has a ‘softer’, charming side as well:
Architecture
Basel’s spectacular medieval Old Town centres around Marktplatz, which is dominated by the 16th-century, red-sandstone Town Hall.
From there, cobblestone streets and narrow alleys snake up and down the area, leading to small squres with ancient fountains, as well as to historic landmarks such as the 800-year-old Basel Cathedral (Münster).
But Basel is known not only for its medieval architecture.
It also has two famous champions of modern architecture, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, who have designed a number of buildings in their native city, including the Roche Tower skyscraper and Basel Museum of Cultures.
Thanks to these old’ and ‘new’ elements, Basel’s landscape effortlessly combines many architectural styles.
Culture
Two things set Basel apart from many other cities.
One is that Basel has the highest concentration of museums in Switzerland.
It boasts nearly 40 world-class museums, incuding the Kunstmuseum, Fondation Beyeler, Museum Tinguely, and Museum der Kulturen, among others.
Another major aspect of Basel’s local culture is the Fasnacht, Switzerland's best-known carnival celebration held every February.
According to municipal authorities, "the carnival in Basel is part of the city’s identity. Culturally speaking, it is at the heart of its creative energies and represents three days when the city goes wild."
READ ALSO: What you should know about Switzerland's largest carnival
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