Basel, CH

Most people have a special place where they imagine they would be blissfully happy. The subject usually comes up in connection with talk about where best to vacation or retire. Sometimes, it’s a place one might have seen only in pictures; sometimes it’s as obvious as returning to the place of one’s birth. Those who are truly satisfied with where they presently find themselves are the lucky ones. Statistics, however, show they’re in the minority.

I have two such places. In fact, if I pressed to decide between one or the other, I’d have to seriously flip a coin. The first is Basel on the Rhine, where I spent just a bit of my childhood. The other is… Stay tuned.

Basel is literally the heart of Europe. It is where three great nations – Switzerland, Germany and France - meet at a single point (Dreilaendereck). Its recorded history goes back to 374 AD. For many centuries, Basel could claim to have the only bridge crossing between Lake Constance and the sea. As such, it has been at the crossroads of Europe all along. It can boast of having the oldest hotel (Drei Koenige) on the continent. It is also home of the oldest university in Switzerland.

Basel has been at the center of European history since the dawn of western civilization. Before 1501, when it effectively separated from the Holy Roman Empire and joined the Swiss confederation, Basel was ruled by prince-bishops. The bishop continued to reside in the city until the reformation of Oecolampadius in 1529. The bishop's crook (Baslerstab), however, was kept as the city's coat of arms.

Intrigue has always been a part of Basel’s ambiance, from the time when religion ruled the West through to the Reformation and then again during WWII when it became the backdrop for spy novels. Today, when finance matters most, it is the home of The Bank for International Settlements. The Mustermesse in Kleinbasel is internationally known for its trade shows and fairs. The complex also includes Switzerland’s tallest building.
The Drei Koenige Hotel registration book can be regarded as a virtual who’s who of great minds – from philosophy to the sciences - that have invariably gravitated to the city at pivotal times. It is a center of the pharmaceutical industry where, among many useful compounds, LSD was unintentionally discovered.

Basel’s mystique is reflected in its narrow, twisty cobblestone paths leading up to the Muensterplatz. All the buildings there are under Heimatschutz (which means they cannot be altered from the outside). The great gothic cathedral (Muenster) stands atop the hill overlooking the famous bend in the river. It is the central focus of a city that has many points of interest. People from all over the world come here to pursue the ghosts of their cerebral heroes in the claustrophobic alleyways of the Altstadt (old city).

And yet, Basel is seldom listed as a stop on any European tour. Aside from wildly celebrating Fasnacht (carnival) once a year in February-March, Baslers are a sober lot. They have never savored the prospect of having their city turned into a circus side show. That is not to say their restaurants are not the best in Europe; ditto their coffee and patisserie shops; their services and accommodations. It’s just that Baslers like to keep to themselves while, at the same time, enjoying the very best of what life has to offer.