Basel Minster

The high walls made of red sandstone, the roofs paved with colorful tiles, the towering twin towers, all these make the cathedral one of the important features of Basel. The wine cellar, the choir, the tomb of Erasmus in Rotterdam, the Galluspforte and the two cloisters bear witness to the vicissitudes of the cathedral over the centuries. Basel's history as an urban settlement begins in Chapel Hill. In the first century BC, Celts from the Rauricii tribe lived in the fortified "oppidum". Today, the remains of the "Celtic Wall" can still be seen in the semi-underground windows of the Rittergasse. In 15 BC, the Roman army established a military base on Chapel Hill on the border between the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes. In the center of the Münsterplatz square, you can see a hidden Roman well leading to the groundwater of the Rhine. In the late Roman Empire, Christianity was established in the Basel area. Existing documents record bishops who came to Basel from the Roman republic of Augusta Raurica, located about 10 kilometers upstream of the Rhine. But in fact, the names of all the bishops who have lived in Basel since the 8th century are now known. The cathedral dates back to the reign of Charlemagne, and the building was destroyed in 917 when the Hungarians attacked the entire city. At the beginning of the 11th century, Henry II built a magnificent new church for Basel. During the 25 years at the end of the 12th century, the church of Henry's period was replaced by Romanesque buildings, and after the earthquake in 1356, it was renovated into a Gothic church. Around the Münsterplatz square, the priests of the church built their own post-Gothic residences, and the open space was used for commemorative processions, festivals, competitions and grand military parades for visiting people. In 1529, Basel became fully Protestant. Bishops and clergy left the city, and the clergy's empty homes were sold to wealthy merchants. In the 18th century, the church became post-Baroque and Neoclassical, while Münsterplatz became a quiet and prosperous residential area, and later the administrative center of Basel. Today, this magnificent square is used as a venue for various events and an open space for people to meet.