Basel is a city located near the border with Germany and France and having the best preserved medieval buildings in Switzerland. Divided into two parts by the Rhine, it boasts many interesting museums and the fame of one of the cities with the best standard of living in Europe.
The beginnings of Basel date back to Roman times, and in 740 it became the seat of the bishop. Initially, there were two cities here, on two banks of the Rhine, which in time were combined into one organism. The Old Town stretches on both banks of the river, which is connected by several historic and modern bridges. The most important part of it is the Cathedral Hill with the monumental Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built by Emperor Henry II. Its interior, like other local churches, is raw and devoid of decorations. This was not the original intention of their creators, but the result of the activities of religious reformers who in the 16th century destroyed the images of saints and all paintings and decorations that were not in line with the new doctrines. From the cathedral tower, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Rhine.
Below the cathedral there are streets filled with tenements, many of which have medieval facades. They lead to the Great Market Square, where stands a Gothic town hall built of red brick and decorated with colorful polychromes. Every day the square hosts a flower, vegetable and fruit market, and in December one of the most famous Christmas markets in Switzerland. Numerous restaurants, cafes and pastry shops have found their place in the tenement houses of the Old Town, and the city's hallmark has been baked for several hundred years traditional Läckerli cookies, which somewhat resemble gingerbread.
