The Basel City Walls are a former complex of wall

Wall

A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...

s in the central part of the Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 city of Basel

Basel

Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...

. The first city wall was completed around 1080 under bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 Burkhard von Fenis. A newer wall was constructed around 1230, which is known as the Inner Wall. In 1362 the construction of a larger wall complex began due to the city's expansion; it was completed in 1398, and is known as the Outer Wall. In 1859 the city's executive decided to raze wall and gates to the ground. Three city gates and a short piece of the wall were saved from demolition and are being preserved as part of the city's heritage.

City gates

• Inner Gate of Spalen
  Gate of Spalen
  The Gate of Spalen is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. One of the three remaining gateways, it is regarded as one of the most beautiful gates of Switzerland. The gate is a landmark of Basel and a heritage site of national significance.- Footnotes :...
  
  
• Inner Gate of Saint Alban
  Gate of Saint Alban
  The Gate of Saint Alban is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. It is one of the three remaining gateways and a heritage site of national significance.-Footnotes:...
  
  
• Inner Gate of Saint John
  Gate of Saint John
  The Gate of Saint John is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. It is one of the three remaining gateways and a heritage site of national significance.- Footnotes :...
  
  
• Inner Gate of Ashes
  Gate of Ashes
  The Gate of Ashes is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. It was pulled down in 1861 along with three other gateways and the city walls.The derivation of the name Aeschen is not definitely proven...
  
  
• Gate of Steinen
  Gate of Steinen
  The Gate of Steinen is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. It was pulled down in 1866 along with all but three city gates and most of the city walls....
  
  

Other wall buildings

• Rhine Gate
  Rhine Gate
  The Rhine Gate is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland. It had been pulled down in 1839, about twenty years before three other gateways and the city walls were pulled down. The position of the Rhine Gate was at the Rhine bridge on the western river bord....
  
   (at the old Rhine Bridge)
• Letzi Tower (near the Gate of Saint Alban)
• Thomas Tower
  Thomas Tower
  The Thomas Tower is a former watchtower in the ancient city walls of Basel, Switzerland, just across the Gate of Saint John. It is named after Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury....
  
   (near the Gate of Saint John)
• Rail gate (built in the 19th century along with the Alsatian railstation)
• Gate of Brigitte (in the Saint Alban quarter)
• Upper Rhine gate

See also

• Basel
  Basel
  Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
  
  , Basel Earthquake