Elisabethenkirche (St. Elisabeth Church), Basel

Elisabethenkirche (St. Elisabeth Church), Basel

Saint Elisabeth Church is an impressive Swiss Gothic Revival-style church. It was completed in 1864 and features a 72 meter (236 feet) tall spire. Saint Elisabeth Church was the first church built in Basel after the Reformation.

Wealthy businessman Christoph Merian sponsored the church's construction. Christoph Merian and his wife Margareth Burckhardt-Merian are buried in black marble sarcophagi in the church's crypt.

Saint Elisabeth's most attractive interior feature is its beautiful stained glass windows. The organ was built in 1862 and has been expanded to feature 41 working stops.

The church is now home to the first Swiss Open Church. The church caters to urban people from all backgrounds and supports the LGBT community.

The church hosts a special service during the Carnival of Basel. It also hosts modern fashion shows, panel discussions, and punk concerts.

Saint Elisabeth Church has an on-site cafe with outdoor seating.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Basel. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Elisabethenkirche (St. Elisabeth Church) on Map

Sight Name: Elisabethenkirche (St. Elisabeth Church)
Sight Location: Basel, Switzerland (See walking tours in Basel)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Basel, Switzerland

Create Your Own Walk in Basel

Create Your Own Walk in Basel

Creating your own self-guided walk in Basel is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Basel's Historical Churches

Basel's Historical Churches

Basel is the city of churches. Indeed, nowhere else in Switzerland will you find as many of them, both old and new, as here. Despite serious losses to the Reformation period, a good number of local temples have survived. Today, the vast majority of religious buildings, including the listed medieval Basel Minster, belong to the Evangelical Reformed Church.

The towers and spires of ancient...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Basel Introduction Walking Tour

Basel Introduction Walking Tour

The modern and bustling city of Basel gets its name from a third-century Roman castle that stood here. It is likely the modernization of "Villa Basilius," or "Estate of Basilius." Interestingly, the basilisk has been closely associated with the city and used in the coat of arms and coins. The association is likely simple assonance rather than anything more profound.

However,...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Basel Old Town Shopping Walk

Basel Old Town Shopping Walk

Basel’s Old Town is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city. It is a place where you can see buildings from the 15th century as well as contemporary structures. The architectural diversity of this well-preserved historical area is stunning as are the shopping opportunities.

On the left bank of the Rhine is Grossbasel, which encompasses the Old Town and many mainstream shops. On...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.9 Km or 0.6 Miles