Basel via Dornach to Liestal

This driving tour includes the following sights:

Grün 80 (playground and lake), a coach and sledge museum in Münchenstein, Dornach and a massive concrete structure called the Goetheanum. The tour concludes in the town of Liestal.

Related Attractions

Grün 80 (playground and lake)

Leave from Basle's main railroad station on Münchensteiner Strasse and after crossing the railroad line take a road on the left; then, soon afterwards, keep straight ahead through the suburb of Neuewelt. Here is the recreational park "Grün 80" (playground and lake), which is dominated by the stone statue of a dinosaur.

Munchenstein, Switzerland

Over the Birs 6km/4mi lies Münchenstein (alt. 540 m/1,772ft) where, in a barn, there is a coach and sledge exhibition from Basle's Historical Museum.

Frog Museum

A curious collection of 10,000 frog figures made from different materials (porcelain, glass, wood, ceramic). Frogs from the Far East, South America and from all over the world.

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Munchenstein Coach and Sled Collection

The largest public collection of sleighs and carriages in Switzerland.

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Arlesheim, Switzerland

Arlesheim (alt. 340 m/1,116ft) is 2km/1mi outside of Münchenstein. Sights include a church built in 1681 and remodeled in Roccoco style in 1760 (Silbermann organ of 1761) and many country houses. On the wooded hill above the town are Burg Reichenstein (alt. 480 m/1,575ft) and Schloss Birseck (private property), formerly the residence of the Prince-Bishops of Basle.

Surroundings

Local Museum, Reinach

The Heritage Museum in Reinach opened in 1962. Exhibits include artwork with a variety of media types such as watercolor, oil, acrylic, and wood sculptures.

Village Museum, Therwil

The Therwil Village Museum features local history exhibits that highlight living in Therwil at the turn of the century, items from the comb factory and sacred artifacts.

Dornach, Switzerland

Only 1km/0.5mi past Arlesheim lies Dornachbrugg (alt. 295 m/968ft) with a Capuchin friary. It is separated by 1km/0.5mi from Dornach (alt. 300 m/984ft), a pretty village, to the north of which is the Goetheanum, a massive concrete structure in Expressionist style. After the first Goetheanum with its wooden twin cupolas was destroyed by fire the Anthropological Society founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) designed a second in 1924, which was constructed after his death by E. Aisenpreis. It houses the urns containing the remains of Rudolf Steiner, Christian Morgenstern and others (conducted tours). On a hill to the east are the ruins of Dornach Castle.

Schwarzbubenland - Local Museum

Exhibits relating to the area's geology and archaeology be viewed plus a small collection of church art.

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Gempenfluh

From Dornach the road winds uphill through wooded country for 7km/ 4mi to Gempen (alt. 672 m/2,205ft) side road on left ascending the Gempenfluh (765 m/2,510ft), with magnificent views of the Jura and the Rhine, extending beyond Basle to Strasbourg.

Liestal, Switzerland

From Gempen the road winds its way down for 10km/6mi east to Liestal (alt. 330 m/1,083ft), chief town of the half-canton of Basel-Land. In the 16th C. Town Hall is the gold cup of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, which was captured at Nancy in 1477. The "Dichtermuseum" (Writers' Museum) has mementos of the Nobel Prize winner Carl Spitteler (1845-1924), who was born in Liestal, Georg Herwegh and others. At the end of Rathausstrasse is the picturesque Oberes Tor (Upper Gate). Northwest of the town, at Munzach, are the remains of a Roman villa (mosaics, etc.). 5km/3mi north via the holiday resort of Bienenberg (alt. 431 m/1,414ft) is Bad Schauenberg (468 m/1,536ft); both places have brine baths.