Basel Minster (Basler Münster)
Münsterpl. 9, Basel, Switzerland
Dual towers and a diamond-patterned roof popping out from its surroundings in Basel Old Town make the Basel Minster (Basler Münster) a landmark that’s hard to miss. A patchwork brick facade indicates the long lifespan of this cathedral, as does its mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles. For travelers seeking city views across Basel, it’s rewarding to climb up the towers, each more than 214 feet (65 meters) high.
Many city tours of Basel stop by the Basel Minster and explain the building’s history, but rarely bring travelers inside. If you go independently, you could spend just 15 minutes admiring the building’s interior, or fill an hour by also climbing both of its towers and seeing the cathedral crypt. After visiting the cathedral, enjoy views of the Rhine from the Palatinate Viewing Platform behind the building or learn about the city’s history at the nearby Basel Historical Museum or the Antiquity Museum.
Public tours are held each Saturday afternoon in German, but visitors will need to contact the cathedral for guided tours at other times or in English.
There is a wheelchair-accessible public restroom directly opposite the front of Basel Minster.
The towers have occupancy limits that restrict how many people can go up at once, and only provide access for groups of between 2 and 6 people.
Roughly 250 stairs lead to the top of each tower, meaning they are not wheelchair accessible, and people with mobility concerns may have difficulty going up.
The Basel Minster is a short walk from many popular attractions in Basel Old Town. It’s next to the Palatinate Viewing Platform, just downriver from the Wettstein Bridge. To reach the cathedral by tram, take one of the many trams that run to the Kunstmuseum tram stop at the end of the cathedral’s street. You can also take a ferry from the Oberer Rheinweg to just below the Palatinate Viewing Platform.
Opening hours vary by season, but the cathedral is open daily, except for select public holidays; it’s also closed to visitors for church services held on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. You may wish to avoid going to the cathedral in the winter, as the crypts are unavailable during these months.
The crypts under the Basel Minster have been opened up to visitors of the cathedral, allowing people to see where bishops were buried, and view old foundations from the original building. A multimedia demonstration is provided in multiple languages down in the crypt complex, exploring the archaeological work that has gone into revealing the cathedral’s history.
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