About this place
The Marktplatz has been the commercial and civic center of Basel for centuries, and it still hums with life as vendors sell fruit, flowers, cheese and bread from stalls that catch the morning light. Dominating the square is the Rathaus, the seat of the parliament and government of the canton of Basel-Stadt, an unmistakable block of deep red sandstone covered in vivid frescoes, gilded lettering and heraldic shields. Begun in 1504 to celebrate Basel joining the Swiss Confederation, the building grew over four centuries into a joyful collage of Late Gothic, Renaissance and, at its far corners, Art Nouveau. Step through the archway into the arcaded inner courtyard, open to the public and free to enter, and you will find playful painted walls and a stone statue of the Roman founder of the region gazing down on the passing visitors.
Key facts
- 1514 year — The red sandstone town hall was completed, ten years after work began
- 1580 year — Hans Michel carved the courtyard statue of Basel's Roman founder, Munatius Plancus
- 1900 year — Citizens voted in a public referendum to add the ornate tower and left wing
📍 Martinsgässlein, 4001, Basel