Basel Minster

Basel is defined by this red giant. The Minster isn’t some delicate cathedral; it’s a massive block of red sandstone overlooking the Rhine. Its twin towers, St. George and St. Martin, survived the 1356 earthquake that leveled the rest of the city. It’s a gritty mix of heavy Romanesque foundations and sharp Gothic finishing.

Erasmus and the Reformation

Inside, forget the Baroque glitter. It’s sober and vast, reflecting the Protestant Reformation that reshaped Switzerland. The historical anchor here is the tomb of Erasmus of Rotterdam, a reminder that Basel was the intellectual heart of the 16th century. The space feels more like a library of stone than a traditional church.

The Pfalz Terrace

Behind the cathedral, the "Pfalz" terrace offers a brutal view over the Rhine and the borders of three countries. It’s the city’s most famous lookout. The attached medieval cloisters, filled with centuries of funerary slabs, remain the best refuge for anyone looking to escape the modern pace of the Swiss city.