Attraction: Rathaus Basel

The council rooms, the inner courtyard, the romantic arcades, and the tower make the town hall a must-see. After the devastating earthquake, this structure was erected to serve as the new government center. Basel’s front building was rebuilt with a more emblematic structure after the city joined the Confederation.

The battlements were adorned with the coats of arms of the 12 countries that made up the Confederation at the time the canton joined it. As part of the town hall’s expansion at the turn of the 17th century, artist Hans Bock painted a series of stylized facades to give the building an imposing appearance. The tower on the right and the wing on the far left were added around 1900.