Neue Welt
Encyclopedia
The Neue Welt is a sub-district of Münchenstein
Münchenstein
Münchenstein is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.-Historical records:Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as Kekingen. In 1270 it was mentioned as Geckingen and in 1279 as Munchenstein.* 1259: The hamlet and the mill, between "Neue...

, in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...

 of Basel-Country
Basel-Country
Basel-Landschaft , is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal...

 in Switzerland
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....

.

Geographical location

The geographical area called the Neue Welt (new world) evolved in the 17th century as the industry started establishing itself around the upper end of the "St. Alban-Teich". This is a canal, artificially constructed by the Basler Kloster St. Alban during the 12th century, so as to bring water and water power to the industry in Basel. Later, during the years 1624/25, the canal was prolonged through Brüglingen towards the Birs
Birs
The Birs is a 73-km long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden.- Picture gallery :...

 waterfall in Münchenstein and from here the water is diverged.

The Neue Welt is the northern most district of Münchenstein. Neue Welt lies along the western bank of the river Birs. To its east it boarders on the municipality of Muttenz
Muttenz
Muttenz is a municipality with a population of approximately 17,000 in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It is located in the district of Arlesheim and next to the city of Basle.-History:...

 and to the west it boarders on Dreispitz, a business and economic service neighbourhood that lies half in Basel and in Münchenstein. To the north Neue Welt boarders on St. Jakob an der Birs (now part of Basel), this was the site of the famous Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs
Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs
The Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs was fought between the Old Swiss Confederacy and French mercenaries , on the banks of the river Birs...

, on 26 August 1444.

History and places of interest

The hammer mill (Hammerschmiede), built 1660, is the oldest building situated on the banks of the canal. It was built by Ludwig Krug. During 1822 the hammer mill was refurbished as a cotton-spinning mill by Felix Sarasin (1771–1839). The hammer mill was restored and completely refurbished in 1970 by the Chr.Merianische Stiftung and was placed under monument conservation a year later.

The Villa Merian
Villa Merian
The Villa Merian, with its English Garden, stands on the elevated plain above Brüglingen in Münchenstein, in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.-Geographical location:...

, with its English Garden, stands upon the elevated plain directly above the watermill and the canal. The Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...

 manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...

 was built in the year 1711 by Alexander Löffler. In 1801 the manor was rebuilt in early Classicism
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...

 style and approximately ten years later the manor and its properties were acquired by Christoph Merian-Hoffmann who gave the estate to his son Christoph Merian
Christoph Merian
Christoph Merian was a banker and businessman. He was the son of Christoph Merian senior and Valeria Hoffmann and married in 1824 to Margarethe Burckhardt from Basel.He was the owner of a large estate, agriculturist and rentier. He was one of the richest Swiss men of that time...

 as wedding present. The Villa Merian is now a coffee house.

A late Gothic mill is situated directly below the Villa Merian. The mill is first mentioned in a deed dated 1259. The Operation of the mill continued until 1925. Since 1966 the watermill building is now being used as the Watermill Museum Brüglingen
Watermill Museum Brüglingen
The Watermill Museum Brüglingen is housed within the former watermill and stands in the lower plane of Brüglingen, in the sub-district "Neue Welt", Münchenstein, in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland....

.

Felix Sarasin's son Ludwig August Sarasin built his residence Villa Ehinger
Villa Ehinger (Münchenstein)
The Villa Ehinger is in the Neue Welt, a sub-district of Münchenstein, in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.-Geographical location:...

 nearby. Ludwig Sarasin died 1831, one of his daughters married into the Ehinger Family and that is how the villa became its name. The family Ehinger sold the estate and the villa in 1959 to the municipality (Gemeinde) Münchenstein. The municipality later passed the estate onto the canton Basel-Country. During 1973 the Villa Ehinger was refurbished as a music school and the canton built additional schools upon the estate grounds. The Kindergarten "Ehinger", the Primary School "Neue Welt" and Münchenstein grammar school stand on this development together with the "TSM-School Centrum for impeded children". The Kindergarten "Teichweg" is located in the residential area near the canal and the Kindergarten "Neue Welt" is to be found by the entrance to Brüglingen.

At the beginning of the 20th century the fast expanding company André Klein, who specialise in the production of "Basler Läckerli
Basler Läckerli
The Basler Läckerli is a traditional hard spice biscuit originating from Basel, Switzerland. It is made of honey, hazelnuts, candied peel, and Kirsch....

", relocated their bakery into the former cotton-spinning mill "Sarasin & Heusler".

The Wasserhaus
Wasserhaus (Münchenstein)
The residential estate Wasserhaus is in the sub-district Neue Welt, Münchenstein, Basel-Country near Basel The German word "Siedlung" means settlement .-Geographical location:...

 residential estate was built during the years 1920/21. The estate was developed by the Architect Wilhelm Eduard Brodtbeck
Wilhelm Eduard Brodtbeck
Wilhelm Eduard Brodtbeck was a famous Swiss architect from Liestal canton Basel-Country.-Early life:...

 from Liestal
Liestal
Liestal is the capital of the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland, south of Basel.It is an industrial town with a cobbled-street Old Town.-History:...

 (canton Basel-Country, Switzerland), concluding the original plans drawn by Prof. Hans Benno Bernoulli
Hans Benno Bernoulli
Hans Benno Bernoulli was a famous Swiss architect.- Biography :Bernoulli was born in Basel, the son of an office clerk, Theodor Bernoulli...

, Basel, (1876–1959). Due to the unique archetype nature and the prototypical neighbourhood, the Wasserhaus estate was taken up in the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance
The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...

. Inventar der schützenswerten Ortsbilder (ISOS).

In 1980 Münchenstein was the host Municipality (Gemeinde) of the 2nd Swiss Exhibition for Garden and Landscaping Grün 80. The exhibition was held on the grounds of the Merian
Christoph Merian
Christoph Merian was a banker and businessman. He was the son of Christoph Merian senior and Valeria Hoffmann and married in 1824 to Margarethe Burckhardt from Basel.He was the owner of a large estate, agriculturist and rentier. He was one of the richest Swiss men of that time...

 Park in Brüglingen which belongs to the Christoph Merian Stiftung
Christoph Merian Stiftung
The Christoph Merian Stiftung is a non-profit-making public utility institution, with its seat in Basel . Up until 1972 the institution was named Chr. Merian’sche Stiftung.-Foundation:...

. About 3.5 million visitors came to the exhibition. The name of the tram and bus stop of the 10 line (BLT)
10 line (BLT)
BLT's 10 line is the second longest tramline in Europe at 25.6 km in length. The line in the region of Basel, Switzerland, is operated by Baselland Transport ....

 is actually named Neue Welt and the area is now called Park im Grünen but the phrase Grün 80 has remained as the local expression. The Park is open all year round, 24 hours a day, and houses the Coach and Carriage Museum, section of the Basel Historical Museum. The Museum can be found in a barn on the elevated plain above Brüglingen.
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