Basel, Switzerland

The northern "gateway" of the country, a major commercial and banking centre, a centre of the arts and sciences - all synonymous with this important Swiss city of Basel.

Situated majestically in the valley between the Jura and Black Forest peaks, Basel is a beautiful ancient city, the capital of the canton of Basel. The city is interesting and appealing in that it is situated at a major bend in the majestic Rhine River, and its proximity to major European countries have left their mark on the image of Basel and the life that bubbles within.

Basel is the third most famous city in Switzerland after Zurich and Vienna. Geographically, it is located right next to where the borders of France, Germany and Switzerland meet and therefore the city itself has distinct German and French suburbs. The river Rhine also runs through the city. Thanks to this location, Basel became an important crossroads and a significant centre for trade from early times. Due to this fact, this area is one of the most densely populated of Europe. In addition, one of the largest freight stations in Europe is located in the Basel region - in neighbouring Muttenz. Because of the freight ports, Switzerland has a transport link with the North Sea. Another important and key piece of information about Basel is that the city is the centre of Switzerland's chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

And speaking of the city being an important crossroads, let's also pay attention to the Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airport. It was built to serve the 3 neighbouring countries of Switzerland, France and Germany and is located on French territory. The airport is accessible from Switzerland by an extraterritorial road.

Basel, together with the municipalities of Rienne and Bettingen, form the canton of Basel-Stadt. The river Rhine, which runs through the city, divides it into Basel Minor and Basel Major. The heart of Basel beats in the so-called Old Town, located in Greater Basel around the market and the old town hall. Characteristic of this part of the city is that the centre is for the most part traffic-free, and its picturesque narrow streets are a "magnet" for tourists and residents alike.

Basel's Old Town is home to much of its historical heritage - monuments of great importance as well as many sites of national significance.

Among other things, Basel has a reputation as one of the most important cultural cities in the whole of Germany, as well as a reputation as a major industrial centre for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Basel also has a reputation in Switzerland as the city with the most museums - more than 40. Generally speaking, whatever one's interests, there is something for everyone in Basel.

The cultural life of Basel is a colourful palette of festivals, carnivals and events, and is distinguished by its intensity. Annually, Basel hosts around 1,000 concerts, as well as jazz festivals with performances by world-renowned artists.

Prominent among these is the famous Carnival, usually held in February. Cortes and processions move through the streets, and in the evenings there are processions of musicians who sound the city squares. Another major celebration in the city is the Festive Carnival, which is one of Basel's favourite pastimes. The carnival always begins on the Friday before Lent, and at exactly 4 o'clock in the morning, in total darkness, the members of the carnival society, dressed in colourful costumes, gather and form a carnival procession. Among Basel's most famous attractions are the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Culture, the Temple of Modern Culture, the Jean Tengelly Museum, the Paper Museum, the Gothic Church of St. Alban, the Museum of Modern Art, the Tengelly Fountain, the History Museum, the Market Square of the old town, the

world's first Cat Museum and many others.

It is definitely no exaggeration to say that Basel offers its visitors an incredible variety of architectural attractions, museums and carnivals. There won't be a person who, having visited Basel, will say that visiting this Swiss city is not worth it.