Basel Minster
- Visit: about 2 h
- from CHF 6
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Why go
- Climb either tower’s 242 steps for views over Basel, the Black Forest foothills and the Jura Mountains.
- Spot St. George slaying the dragon on the south façade.
- Find Hans von Nussdorf’s richly carved stone pulpit, made in 1486.
Opening hours
Today10:00 – 17:00Show all
Don't miss
- Main porchCarvings show prophets, kings, roses, dancing angels and Abraham. Toads and snakes beside a seducer and a misguided virgin symbolize evil.Main porch
- St. Vincent reliefThis relief depicts four scenes from the saint’s life.
- Queen Anne’s sarcophagusQueen Anne of Habsburg and her son Charles are buried in this sarcophagus.Choir passage
- Pipe organMathis Orgelbau built it in 2003; Peter Märkli designed its case. It has 78 stops.Minster2003
Know before you go
- Closed on 23 August and 12 December.
Tips for your visit
- The south tower’s steep spiral stairs lead to a church clock dating from 1883.
With kids
- The children’s discovery tour follows stories in the Minster’s stones from the hidden cellar to the tower.
- Children search for a cat and mouse and share a snack.
Interesting facts6
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Jacob Bernoulli, who discovered the mathematical constant e, is buried in the cathedral.
Basel - Wikivoyage (see) -
The crypt contains tombs of early bishops of Basel.
Basel - Wikivoyage (see) -
The organ follows a succession of instruments dating back to the 14th century.
Cattedrale di Basilea - Wikipedia -
The cathedral treasury survived the iconoclasm and remained intact until the canton was divided.
Basler Münster - Wikipedia -
The north tower, Georgsturm, is 64.2 m tall; the south tower, Martinsturm, is 62.7 m tall.
Basel Minster - Wikipedia -
Romanesque galleries with blind arches distinguish the relatively plain interior.
Cattedrale di Basilea - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
The Minster’s site was a Celtic fortified settlement before Bishop Adalbero II commissioned a church there in 1019. The 1356 earthquake and following fire damaged the church. Johannes Gmünd led reconstruction, and work on the towers continued until the south tower’s completion in 1500.
- 1st c. BCThe hill was a Celtic fortified settlement.
- 1019Bishop Adalbero II commissioned a new church on the foundations of its predecessor.
- Late 12th c.–c. 1225A late Romanesque rebuilding shaped much of the present church.
- 1356An earthquake destroyed five towers, the choir and several vaults. A fire followed.
- 1363Following reconstruction by Johannes Gmünd after the earthquake, the main altar was consecrated.
Show all
- 1421–1429Ulrich von Ensingen began extending the Georgsturm in 1421; work ended in 1429.
- 1440Felix V, an antipope, was crowned on the cathedral square.
- 1500Hans Nussdorf completed the south tower, marking the Minster’s architectural completion.
- 1529The Minster ceased to be the bishop’s seat during the Reformation.
- 1970Archaeological excavations uncovered a Gallic wall on the hill.
How to get there
- On footMünsterplatz is lined with houses formerly occupied by cathedral clergy.
Sources: Basel Minster - Wikipedia · Basel Minster - Wikipedia (part 2) · Basel - Wikivoyage (see) · Basler Muenster · Basler Muenster · Basler Muenster · Basler Münster - Wikipedia · Cathédrale de Bâle - Wikipedia · Cattedrale di Basilea - Wikipedia · checked 24 Sep 2026
- Website
- baslermuenster.ch/
- Phone
- +41 61 272 91 57
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Questions and answers
Is Basel Minster still used for worship?
Yes. It holds regular worship and musical events, including concerts by its choir and choral society.
Where does Basel Minster’s red sandstone come from?
Its stonework and statues use red sandstone from Wiesental and Degerfelden.
Are all the sculptures at Basel Minster original?
Many original sculptures were moved to a museum for preservation. Copies replaced them.
Where are Basel Minster’s original choir windows?
They were replaced in the 19th century. The originals are held at the Kleines Klingental museum.
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