Basel Town Hall

The Basel Town Hall (German: Rathaus Basel, locally known as Roothuus) is a 500-year-old building in the Marktplatz of Basel, Switzerland. This big building has been very important for the city's history.

Inside the Basel Town Hall, big decisions are made for the area. It is where the Cantonal Parliament meets to talk about and decide on laws. The building also has meetings for the Cantonal Government of the canton of Basel-Stadt, helping to guide the region.

This old building looks beautiful and helps with the daily life of Basel, showing how the city has grown over the years.

History

The first building on the town hall site was destroyed in an earthquake in Basel in 1356, and all the records were lost. Later, a new building called the “Palace of the Lords” was built. In 1501, Basel joined the Swiss Confederation, and in 1503, leaders decided to build a new building next to the Palace of the Lords to celebrate this. Construction took place from 1504 to 1514. During this time, special symbols from the Swiss regions were added to the roof.

The old Palace of the Lords was made taller between 1517 and 1521, and a big meeting room called the Great Council Chamber was created. This room once had beautiful paintings made in 1522 by an artist named Hans Holbein the Younger, but they are now lost. Some pieces of these paintings and some early drawings are kept in the Kunstmuseum in Basel.

In the local Basel German dialect, the town hall is called “Roothus,” which means “council house” but also sounds like “red house,” referring to the building’s red sandstone exterior.