Basel
Located in north-west Switzerland on the river Rhine, Basel functions as a major industrial centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. The city borders both Germany and France. The Basel region, culturally extending into German Baden and French Alsace, reflects the heritage of its three states in the modern Latin name: "Regio TriRhena"). It has an old university.
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2 Industry and Trade 3 History and science 4 Architecture 5 Education 6 Politics 7 Famous Basel People 8 Sport 9 Culture |
Communications
Basel has Switzerland's only cargo port, through which goods pass along the navigable stretches of the Rhine.
Basel has long held an important place as a rail hub. Three railway stations -- those of the German, French and Swiss networks -- lie within the city. A goods railway complex exists as well.
The Swiss chemical industry operates largely from Basel, which has grown into the modern focus of the city's manufacturing: pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. Firms like Novartis (the Merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz), Ciba Specialty Chemicals ("Ciba") and Hoffmann-La Roche have headquarters in Kleinbasel. Major innovative products stemming from the Basel area include such gifts to humanity as DDT, Araldite and LSD.
Banking has long held importance for Basel: major Swiss banks have their headquarters in the city, and the Bank for International Settlements has been based here since 1930.
Basel is served by Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg International Airport, actually located in France.
Basel has Switzerland's tallest building, Basler Messeturm.
Basel became the focal point of western Christendom during the 15th-century Council of Basel.
See also: pharmacopoeia
The largest indoor tennis event in Europe occurs in Basel every October. The best ATP-Professionals play every year at the "Davidoff Swiss Indoors".
In 2002, the World Judo Championships took place in Basel.
Basel features a large soccer stadium, a modern ice hockey hall and an admitted sports hall.
Industry and Trade
An annual Federal Swiss trade fair (Mustermesse) takes place in Kleinbasel on the right bank of the Rhine. Other important Fairs include "Basel" (Watches), Art, Orbit and Cultura.History and science
Basel traces its history back to at least the days of the Roman empire settlement of Augusta Raurica. The city's position on the Rhine long emphasised its importance: Basel for many centuries possessed the only bridge over the river "between Lake Constance and the sea". In 1356 an earthquake caused extensive damage in the city.Architecture
The Romanesque Minster, with its two (uneven) towers forms an architectural monument which survived mediaeval earthquake. The tomb of Erasmus lies inside the Minster.Education
Basel hosts Switzerland's oldest university, dating from 1459. Erasmus, Paracelsus, Daniel Bernoulli, Leonhard Euler and Friedrich Nietzsche worked here. More recently, work in tropical medicine has gained prominence.Politics
Geo-politically, the city of Basel functions as the capital of the Swiss half-canton of Basel-Stadt, though several of its suburbs form part of the half-canton of Basel-Landschaft or of the canton of Aargau.Famous Basel People
Sport
Basel has a reputation in Switzerland as a successful sporting city. The soccer club FC Basel continues to be successful and in recognition of this the city will be one of the venues for the 2008 European Championships, as well as Geneva, Zürich and Bern. The championships will be jointly hosted by Switzerland and Austria.Culture
Basel has a reputation as one of the most important cultural cities in Europe. In 1997, it contended to become the "European Capital of Culture". In May 2004, the fifth EJCF choir festival will open: this Basel tradition started in 1992. Host of this festival is the local Basel Boys Choir.