Tour the Old Town, Münster (Minster), Rathaus, and Best Museums

The Romanesque-Gothic Minster, historical Rathaus on Marktplatz, old streets in Spalenberg, fountains, and excellent museums are the best sights to see in Basel, Switzerland.

photo credit: dongga BS

The Swiss city Basel is on the Rhine River at the border with Germany and France. This city of almost 170,000 inhabitants has an interesting historical center, pedestrian shopping streets, and excellent museums.

The Romanesque-Gothic Basler Münster (Minster)

The Romanesque-Gothic Basler Münster (Basel Minster) is the top historical and architectural sight to see in Basel. This large church on Münsterberg Hill towers of the town and the Rhine River valley. Its origins are twelfth-century Romanesque but most of what is visible today is late medieval Gothic.

The Minster in Basel is famous for its highly decorative Romanesque St. Gallen portal where Christ sits in judgment on the tympanum. Also note the elephants carved out of stone facing the Rhine river.

• European humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536) is buried in the Basler Münster.

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Medieval Sights, Museums, and Churches in the Old Town

Altstadt Lübeck is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage-listed site famous for the finest brick-Gothic architecture in Germany. However, Lübeck has many sights in addition to the Marienkirche, Rathaus, Holstentor, and Buddenbrookhaus.

photo credit: jonmcalister

The top sightseeing sites in Lübeck in Northern Germany’s Baltic Coast are the Holstentor, brick-Gothic Rathaus and Marienkirche, Café Niederegger, as well as the Buddenbrookhaus. However, there are many other sights worth seeing too. The narrow, medieval alleys of Lübeck’s island-based old town are literally littered with brick-Gothic marvels.

• Lübeck can also be written Luebeck – Lubeck is understood easily enough but spelt  (and pronounced) wrong.

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Holstentor, Rathaus, Marienkirche, Buddenbrookhaus, and Marzipan

Lübeck is famous for its UNESCO-listed old town with brick-Gothic architecture including the Marienkirche, Rathaus (Town Hall), and Holstentor, the Buddenbrook House, and Niederegger marzipan.

photo credit: hsivonen

The Baltic Coast city Lübeck has a wonderful old town located on an island in the Trave River. Lübeck preserved its original medieval town layout and has over a thousand listed buildings – both reasons contributing to its inclusion as one of more than 30 German sites on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list. Lübeck is best known for its magnificent Brick Gothic buildings including the Holsten Tor, Rathaus,and numerous churches including the Marienkirche, which served as model for many similar Brick Gothic churches that were built in the Baltic region. Lübeck is also famous as the birthtown of Thomas Mann an the home of Niederegger marzipan. »»»Continue reading…