BASEL, Switzerland — The chemical and pharmaceutical industry permeates almost every aspect of life in Basel, from the factories and chimneys that line the mighty Rhine River to the names of local bus stops. Yet, this northern Swiss city of 200,000 people is far from being a grimy industrial metropolis.
It has a rich historical heritage combined with sleek modern architecture. It has Switzerland's most thriving cultural scene and best museums; a superb cuisine flavored with the aroma of both neighboring France and Germany; a great zoo and — for what it's worth — the country's best soccer team.
Situated on the elbow of the Rhine in the so-called Three Countries Corner, Basel is a perfect base to sample the gastronomic and scenic delights of the Alsace region of France or wander through Germany's Black Forest.
Unlike most other Swiss towns, Basel has no lakes or mountains to pull in the crowds. But it does play host to one of the most unique carnival celebrations in the world, kicking off at 4 a.m. on a freezing Lenten morning.
All in all, Basel is a cool place to visit when the chill sets in and is a welcome antidote to the skiing crush on Alpine slopes.
"I'm from Zurich, which people say is the biggest and the best," says Basel tourist director Daniel Egloff in reference to Basel's northern rival. "And I know St. Moritz is Top of The World," he said in a play on that resort's slogan.
"And yet, I fell completely in love with Basel."
In 1356, most of Basel was destroyed by a massive earthquake. Much of what was rebuilt still stands today in the vibrant old town, which bubbles with cafes and restaurants.
Basel has Switzerland's oldest university (1460) and is known as a center of the humanist movement. For many years it was the home of the Dutch scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam, who is buried in the cathedral here.
In addition to the cathedral and surrounding cloisters, the City Hall is also a must on any sightseeing tour. Constructed in the 16th century in a magnificent red and gold, it dominates the lively market place. The awesome Mittlere Rheinbruecke — Middle Bridge — offers unrivaled views down the Rhine.
The 200,000 inhabitants pride themselves on being more tolerant and relaxed than many other Swiss. They say this is partly because Basel's geography has helped absorb different cultures and partly because the pharmaceutical companies have fostered an open and exploratory attitude — a local chemist discovered the hallucinogenic drug LSD here in 1943.
Roche and Novartis — the product of a merger between Ciba Geigy and Sandoz — and associated chemical companies are omnipresent. Although their industrial complexes scar the skyline of the suburbs, their financial largesse has helped beautify the city center and sweeten the life of its inhabitants and visitors.
Patronage by the pharmaceutical giants and some of their banking friends helps the city honor its slogan of Basel Culture Unlimited — an apt description for its packed program of concerts, theater and ballet performances and 30 museums.
Take the Tinguely museum, my personal favorite.
Designed and built by Switzerland's best-known architect, Mario Botta, the distinctive construction was a gift to celebrate the centenary of Hoffman-La Roche in 1996. Set in quiet grounds overlooking the Rhine, it is a showplace of the wacky works of the late Swiss painter and sculptor, Jean Tinguely. The creations of his companion, celebrated French pop artist Niki de Saint Phalle — who died in May — also feature prominently, and a special exhibition is being mounted until Feb. 17 in her honor.
Tinguely turned junkyard scrap into whimsical machines, typically uniting metal girders, wheels, motors, bicycles, flowerpots and animal skulls into one great clattering mass. The museum may not appeal to Renaissance purists. But for most people it's a hit — including my young children and elderly mother-in-law who hails from Basel.
Another treat for the young and the young at heart is the Puppenhausmuseum — or Dollhouse museum. This is a lavishly restored 19th-century downtown building owned — surprise — by the wife of one of the Roche heirs, Gigi Oeri, who also owns the FC Basel soccer club.
Oeri says she preferred soccer to dolls as a child but began collecting miniatures about 20 years ago and kept them at the family's holiday farm in Germany's Black Forest. The conditions weren't right and the materials began to deteriorate and, thus, the idea of the museum was born. It opened in 1998 and about 150 visitors per day wallow in childhood nostalgia.
Oeri bought rare and valuable teddy bears — some 2,000 of them — and countless dolls to bring her miniatures to life. This now amounts to the most important such collection in the world.
"We get busloads of American tourists," Oeri beams. "They are completely crazy for the miniatures collection."
Basel's Kunsthalle art museum is one of Switzerland's biggest and best. It claims to be the oldest public collection in the world, dating back to 1661, but also features 20th-century expressionist, cubist and pop art works. Just up the road, the Museum of Contemporary Art houses works from 1960-1990.
True connoisseurs head for the Beyeler Foundation in the wealthy suburb of Riehen. Ernst and Hildy Beyeler own one of Europe's biggest private collections of Picassos, Monets, Cezannes and other big names, and regularly host top-notch exhibitions in their state-of-the-art museum.
Incidentally, the Beyelers have nothing to do with pharmaceuticals.
Ernst's father worked on the railways, and Hildi's was a customs official.