Basel Minster
Basel Minster
4.5
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Neighbourhood: Altstadt
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258 within 6 miles
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- Sanka1 🇱🇰🇬🇧Bicester, United Kingdom5,886 contributionsWonderful gothic architectureBasel Minster is a free to enter church located at the heart of the city. It's also the location of the Basel Autumn festival and Christmas markets. It's a stunning Gothic cathedral, stands as an architectural marvel. You can buy tickets to go up the cathedral's tower to experience panoramic views of Basel and the Rhine River. Its timeless beauty and cultural significance make it a jewel in Switzerland's heritage and a true testament to Gothic architecture's grandeur.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 October 2023
- MRPH59Nashotah, Wisconsin55 contributionsImpressive!Very impressive Munster with equally impressive twin towers! Don’t miss climbing the challenging stairs to the walk at the base of the towers! It costs a few CHF but is well worth it! Not for the faint of heart! Also don’t miss the about 10 minute presentation in the crypt about the history of the building. Very well done!Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 17 October 2023
- Meander54893162494Port Willunga, Australia8 contributionsClimb the towers for great Rhine Views.A beautiful, peaceful building, lovely to be in and just sit and be. We also climbed the tower which is a great adventure, as the ticket seller told us. Great to manoeuvre the very narrow spiral stairs and emerge at the viewing platform. Then go up further, up both towers and the view and journey is great fun. Not for the faint hearted or those with low tolerance for very tight places, not well lit. But hey! The Swiss built it. Of course it is fine!Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 31 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
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4
duck8to
Montville, NJ6,824 contributions
Oct 2020
Originally a Catholic Church in 1019 AD, the Ptarrant Munster has since the 1500's been a Reformed Protestant Church The earthquake of 1358 wrecked havoc on the red sandstone construction but reconstruction efforts were successful. The church has elements of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture and is considered a heritage site of significance. The two towers of the church standout on the cities horizon . One tower is dedicated to St. George (1372), he is slaying a dragon, albeit small. the other tower is dedicated to St. Martin (1340), who is displayed riding a horse.
Entrance to the churchl is free. however if you wish to climb the 242 steps to the top of each tower it is 4CHF. The staircase is narrow and not always lit adequately. At the top there is a viewing platform. It is an excellent view of the city, Mittlere Brucke and Rhine river. Take note of the statue of Henry the II at the main entrance.
There is a crypt which holds the tomb of Gertrude of Hohenburg, who died in 1281 in Vienna. Also in the crypt is the Tomb of Erasmus of Rotterdam. The attached cloister is worth exploring, as is, the Kreuzgang which leads to the Hall of Shields.
Entrance to the churchl is free. however if you wish to climb the 242 steps to the top of each tower it is 4CHF. The staircase is narrow and not always lit adequately. At the top there is a viewing platform. It is an excellent view of the city, Mittlere Brucke and Rhine river. Take note of the statue of Henry the II at the main entrance.
There is a crypt which holds the tomb of Gertrude of Hohenburg, who died in 1281 in Vienna. Also in the crypt is the Tomb of Erasmus of Rotterdam. The attached cloister is worth exploring, as is, the Kreuzgang which leads to the Hall of Shields.
Written 19 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zuv
Bucharest, Romania36,797 contributions
Dec 2022
A beautiful church but far from being a top church of Europe. One of the bell towers can be visited. And on this occasion I met the most stupid employee/ the stupidest rule.
On their website it says "Admission only in groups of 2 or more people." It seems to me an OK rule, understandable. It is possible that someone has medical problems up there and, if he were alone, he would have no one to call for help. But, when I wanted to buy a ticket, surprise! "You can't climb alone and you can't pair up with another alone tourist /other tourists. You have to be part of a group of friends!" Whaat?! Where does it say that?! Finally, after some parliamentarians, I went up together with two other tourists with whom I had no connection. I have climbed dozens of bell towers across Europe, much higher, and I have never encountered a rule like this...
The view from the top is beautiful, especially towards the Rhine.
The interior of the church is rather ordinary.
On their website it says "Admission only in groups of 2 or more people." It seems to me an OK rule, understandable. It is possible that someone has medical problems up there and, if he were alone, he would have no one to call for help. But, when I wanted to buy a ticket, surprise! "You can't climb alone and you can't pair up with another alone tourist /other tourists. You have to be part of a group of friends!" Whaat?! Where does it say that?! Finally, after some parliamentarians, I went up together with two other tourists with whom I had no connection. I have climbed dozens of bell towers across Europe, much higher, and I have never encountered a rule like this...
The view from the top is beautiful, especially towards the Rhine.
The interior of the church is rather ordinary.
Written 21 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Razorfish
Little Rock, AR5,287 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
I visited Basel Minster on a quiet Sunday morning on the last day of a Viking River Cruise this past April. Very few people were stirring at that early hour of the morning. It was quite tranquil to overlook the river at the back of the building.
Written 5 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MKTBE
Topeka, KS4,091 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
This magnificent Cathedral is the heart of Old Town Basel, and is a focal reference for both sides of the Rhine River. Once a Catholic church, it is now Reformed Protestant, and the building as it stands today dates back to the 12th century and was completed around 1225.
The Basel Minster is an impressive architectural and religious experience, even from the outside. Walking the perimeter, enjoying the quiet cloisters area, and admiring the colorful roof tiles is a humbling experience. Entry to the church is free, with a small fee to go to the top of the East tower. The fun adventure getting to the top, and the beautiful views of the City of Basel, make the trip to the top very rewarding! Basel Minster is an impressive Cathedral, and well worth visiting when in the city.
The Basel Minster is an impressive architectural and religious experience, even from the outside. Walking the perimeter, enjoying the quiet cloisters area, and admiring the colorful roof tiles is a humbling experience. Entry to the church is free, with a small fee to go to the top of the East tower. The fun adventure getting to the top, and the beautiful views of the City of Basel, make the trip to the top very rewarding! Basel Minster is an impressive Cathedral, and well worth visiting when in the city.
Written 2 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BrakiWorldTraveler
Belgrade, Serbia19,421 contributions
Mar 2022
Basel Munster is the main city's Cathedral set on an elevated position, on a small hill above the Rhine river.
You can reach it through winding old town cobbled streets. It's easily recognizable with its red sandstone twin towers, as well with colored roof tiles.
However, a big disappointed was we found it closed at 4.30 PM as the working hours are only 10-4 as we were explained on spot.
From the main entrance to the right, you can reach and pass through the adjacent cloisters with interesting sculptures around the garden. That passageway also leads you to a small square behind the Cathedral offering great views of Basel.
You can reach it through winding old town cobbled streets. It's easily recognizable with its red sandstone twin towers, as well with colored roof tiles.
However, a big disappointed was we found it closed at 4.30 PM as the working hours are only 10-4 as we were explained on spot.
From the main entrance to the right, you can reach and pass through the adjacent cloisters with interesting sculptures around the garden. That passageway also leads you to a small square behind the Cathedral offering great views of Basel.
Written 4 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sanka1 🇱🇰🇬🇧
Bicester, UK5,886 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Basel Minster is a free to enter church located at the heart of the city. It's also the location of the Basel Autumn festival and Christmas markets. It's a stunning Gothic cathedral, stands as an architectural marvel. You can buy tickets to go up the cathedral's tower to experience panoramic views of Basel and the Rhine River. Its timeless beauty and cultural significance make it a jewel in Switzerland's heritage and a true testament to Gothic architecture's grandeur.
Written 2 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SuzyQu15
Brooklyn, NY1,549 contributions
Dec 2019
This is a beautiful church with two towers, sandstone architecture, and colorful tiles on the roof. It was originally a Catholic Church and is now a Protestant church. You can wander through the lovely courtyard with its pretty views. We were there in December and a charming Christmas market was right outside.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StevenKolsteren
Groningen, The Netherlands189 contributions
Jul 2021
The Gothic cathedral in red stone and with multicolored rooftiles is a pleasure to explore. It is quite large with its cloister. At the back there is a panoramic view of the Rhine and in front a nice square, somewhat hidden from the shopping city itself.
Written 21 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kvasirsblood
County Durham, UK253 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We took a day trip to Basel as we were flying out the following day from the local airport. The city looked interesting on the internet but we were driving and getting to a car park was a nightmare (trams, bikes and narrow streets, lots of building work and the car park we put in the sat nab was closed). We nearly gave up but a kind local stopped us going down an awkward street and pointed us to a multi story car park so decided to stay and at least go and look at the Rhine and the Minster as it looked so imposing on the skyline. It has a lovely square in front of it and a small park and viewpoint behind. The Minster is interesting but we found the cloister building to the right side of the main cathedral facade (which we went into by accident to be even better.
Written 6 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
schmidtmg
Switzerland1,089 contributions
Feb 2022
The old cathedral in Basel (Basler Münster) is an imposing church in the old town of Basel, on a hill overlooking the Rhine river. Location-wise, it is comparable to the cathedral in Bern, except the Basel cathedral is quite a bit older. Everything is extremely well restored, which is due to the permanent "Steinmetz" workshop employing a small number of speciailzed full-time masons specifically for maintenance work. The interior is sober and solemn.,,
Written 28 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Tripadvisor member
17 contributions
Yes, its 2 SFR pp. But sometimes they only let a minimum of 4 people go up. Why? Haven't a clue.
Written 23 April 2017
soccertoyota
Tokyo, Japan
ガイドブック「地球の歩き方」によると大聖堂の塔の入場CHF4（2名以上のグループのみ可）とあります。一人で訪問するので悩んでいます。10月中旬に参りますがクリアーする方法はありませんか？ 例えば２人分CHF８を払えば可能ですか？
Written 13 June 2015
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