From medieval to modernist, this Swiss city hosts a display of impressive architecture at every turn, says Jill Starley-Grainger

Certain cities around the world are considered design meccas: Hong Kong, New York, London, Tokyo, as well as new Ryanair destination Basel. If you’re surprised that this small Swiss city of 190,000 takes such an important place on the world stage, don’t be. Basel and its environs have played host to seminal moments in modern architecture – such as the first completed building by Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid – and have bred their own design heroes, including Herzog & de Meuron, the award-winning team behind Tate Modern in London and China’s Bird’s Nest sports stadium for the 2008 Olympics.

The city is best known for its wealth of late 20th- and 21st-century architecture. But long before this boom in modernity, Basel was giving life to some extraordinary buildings. Like most European cities, its first significant structure was the cathedral – Münster was built between 1019 and 1500, on the banks of the Rhine. A few minutes from this peaceful riverside location you’ll find the buzzing stalls f the Marktplatz, presided over by Rathaus, the city’s striking, red town hall. Although hey started to construct the place in 1501, it has been adapted over the centuries, and now reflects a variety of influences and styles – much like Basel itself.

HISTORIC HOSPITALITY
Unusually for a city, Basel’s third historic landmark is a hotel, called Les Trois Rois (The Three Kings). Situated on the banks of the Rhine, it has played an important role in the city since it was built in 1844. Named after a historic meeting of three rulers in Basel in 1026, the hotel itself has hosted everyone from Napoleon and Queen Elizabeth II to Pablo Picasso and the Rolling Stones.

Last year, Les Trois Rois reopened after a meticulous restoration. Stepping through its grandiose doors, you’re transported to a world of belle époque glamour, where white-coated waiters pour champagne for women in ball gowns and world leaders share schnapps on the terrace over the Rhine. But scrape the surface, and all is not as it seems.

When the original hotel was built, instead of using marble and stone, plaster walls and wooden pillars were painted with exquisite care to mimic the more expensive materials, and the restorers did the same. More importantly for guests, rooms decked out in extravagant Louis XVI style conceal all the elements necessary for modern luxury, such as under-floor heating, internet access and flat-screen TVs.

“We have today a haven where one feels at ease in thoroughly historical authenticity,” says architect Christian Lang. “We have restored the soul to Les Trois Rois.”

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