We start the trail in Basel, a financially and culturally important city on the River Rhine. Today Basel is of particular importance for its life sciences industries. It also has numerous museums of international significance.
Basel was first inhabited in the 7th Century AD and it was during this period that Columbanus and his monks were on their travels.
The Gothic Cathedral (Münster) was constructed in the 12th Century. The tomb of the Dutch scholar Erasmus von Rotterdam, who died in Basel in the 16 th Century, can be seen here. A further landmark in the medieval Old City is the 16 th Century City Hall with its red sandstone facade.
Important historical facts about Basel: From 1431-1449 the Ecumenical Council took place here during which the antipope Felix V was elected. In 1897 the first Zionist World Congress was held, organized by Theodor Herzl and David Farbstein.
Note:
If you want to delve deeper into the work of Columban and his companions, you may appreciate the fact that the following places are relatively easy to reach from Basel:
St-Ursanne, founded in 620 by Ursicinus, probably a companion of Columban who stayed here (about 1 hour by train from Basel)
Moutier-Grandval with its former monastery goes back to monks from Luxeuil (approx. 1h30 by train)
Romainmôtier where Luxeuil monks were installed in the existing abbey in the 7th century (almost 3 hours by train)
Columban Way towards France: To continue the Columban Way from Basel towards France, further information can be called up on Columban Way.
Worth seeing and knowing
We begin our trail in Switzerland at the Market Place. After visiting the Cathedral (Münster) and the City Hall, we move on, leaving the city behind us.
From now on we walk alongside the Rhine, against the current. The Rhine is always on our left in the direction of travel. En route we follow the signs for the Via Rhenana, highlighted as No 60 on the light green sticker on the yellow hiking guide signpost.
After just under one kilometer we pass by the Church of St Alban, the sole survivor of the original Monastery of the Cluny Order. Today it serves the Serbian-Orthodox Community.
| Km 3 | We cross over the River Birs.
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| Km 4 | The main line of business of the Rhein Port in Birsfelden is the unloading and storage of liquid and inflammable fuels, as well as dry goods. |
| Km 6 | We come across the ruins of a Roman watch tower which guarded the northern border of the Roman Empire from 370 AD. There are another two further up the Rhine.
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| Km 8 | Now we reach Schweizerhalle. The Rheinsalinen here produces 400’000 tons of salt per year. In the museum we can trace the history of this ‘white gold’.
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| Km 11 | As many as 15’000 inhabitants lived in Augst (Augusta Raurica) in 200 AD. A number of monuments from this period can be discovered today, especially the Forum, the Amphitheater and the Roman Museum with its over 1.5 million objects, among them the largest collection of silver treasures from late antiquity. In the Roman House the lifestyle of that period is replicated.
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| Km 12 | Close by, on the other side of the River Egolz, is Kaiseraugst (Castrum Rauracense), which was established 300 years later when Augst was destroyed by an earthquake. The name Kaiseraugst does not originate from a Roman emperor but from the Habsburg-Austrian Empire to which it belonged from 1442 to 1801.
In Kaiseraugst there is a Christ Catholic Church which is consecrated to St Gall. 
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| Km 18 | Rheinfelden – the oldest Zähringer town in Switzerland is in Canton Aargau. You can’t miss the red brick ‘castle’ complex of the Feldschlösschen Brewery.
In Rheinfelden we come to the end of the first stage of our trail on Swiss territory and take in this beautiful town. Perhaps we will take this opportunity to relax in the Thermal Baths (Thermalbad) here. |
