St. Alban
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St. Alban
A mix of elegant charm and gritty industrial, the sprawling neighbourhood of St. Alban is largely residential.
Many thanks to
Asha Mentzer for helping to map this neighbourhood!
St. Alban was developed from what was once a forest outside St. Alban’s Tor. Originally named for a monastery that had been in the area, it was designed to be an upscale neighborhood close to the city centre. Its early development centered near the Tor and today the most residential part is concentrated in this part, notably the neighborhood of Gellert. The district includes important commercial areas, such as Aeschenplatz with more industrial areas towards the southern part of the district. Freight and passenger rail lines divide the more residential and commercial part from the more industrial section, which includes Dreispitz.
Perhaps less known is that St. Alban is home to two celebrated green spaces: The Schwarzpark, once the city’s largest private park and now publicly owned, and the Wolfgottesacker, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Switzerland.
Neighbours
highlights
Mövenpick
Part of Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts, this elegant hotel has two restaurants: MP's Bistro & Bar and Puro. With close proximity to SBB and with a lovely terrace, it is a great destination for a business lunch or after-work cocktail.
Aeschengraben 25, 4051 Basel
Konditorei Etna Bar
Etna Bar offers a wide array of Italian pastries and desserts. With a small outdoor seating area, it is a great place to meet a friend for an authentic Italian coffee and a sweet treat. Etna Bar is also open on Sunday mornings, ideal for picking up some fresh croissants to enjoy at home.
Kapellenstrasse 37, 4052 Basel
Restaurant Murano
This Italian restaurant has quickly become a favourite destination for St Alban locals. The lunch menu is excellent value and the outdoor seating area makes it a pleasant spot for lunch on a summer’s day. The waiting staff are always friendly and welcoming, making it a popular spot for families in the area.
Hardstrasse 2, 4052 Basel
Cafe Restaurant Gellert
Tucked away in the heart of the district, Cafe Restaurant Gellert is a little oasis of calm. If you’re in the mood for a meal, the Italian-inspired menu has something for everyone. However, it is also a lovely place for a cup of tea or coffee and a catch up with a friend.
Urs Graf-Strasse 17, 4052 Basel
ge.m.a Bachspitz
Tucked in amongst the more industrial part of St. Alban, Bachspitz is a delicious bakery that is also a cooperative, offering training and work placement opportunities for the unemployed. They have a wide range of savoury and sweet delicacies, including one of the best almond croissants in Basel.
Sutter Begg
One of many locations in the Basel area. Sutter Begg is a family business in it's fourth generation that has been around for over 100 years! They pride themselves on their fresh, handmade and regional baked goods, so fresh that they are replenished 4-5 times daily!
Job Factory Store
Offering an eclectic range of homeware, clothing and accessories, Job Factory Store is the ideal place to find a unique gift or even a little treat for yourself. There’s a hairdressing salon on the top floor, and a popular cafe on the ground floor.
Bordeaux-Strasse 5, 4053 Basel
OFFCUT Basel
Offcut is an innovative and sustainable business that takes supplies from industrial companies and private individuals that would otherwise be slated as garbage. These items are then carefully sorted and displayed so that they can be repurposed into something new. A creative paradise, Offcut has a wide range of fabric, wood, paper and anything else you can imagine, waiting to be turned into something magical. They host a number of workshops including children birthday parties.
Lyon-Strasse 11, 4053 Basel
Decathlon
This popular sportswear store has a huge range of excellent value clothing and accessories for almost every sport. They also offer equipment products for hire such as skis and snow shoes, ideal if you have a new hobby but are not quite ready to purchase your own equipment yet. There’s a small parking lot, which comes in handy if you’re purchasing bulky sportswear.
Leimgrubenweg 27, 4053 Basel
MPARC Dreispitz
This retail park has a number of shops including an Melectronics, Sport XX, Micasa, OBI and a large Migros supermarket. The complex also houses a Dosenbach, Marionnaud, Denner, Kiosk Apotheke/Drogerie DROPA, Office World and a few snack bars. There is a large car park and also a designated tram stop if you prefer to use public transport.
Radio TV Winter
Radio TV Winter offers a wide range of electronics, with a useful installation/set-up service so that you can begin using your new product immediately. You can also contact Winter about repairing your current entertainment devices. If your old electronics are beyond repair and you choose to buy a new product with Winter, they can assist with the professional disposal of your old electronics.
Hardstrasse 139, 4052 Basel
Car Dealerships
For those of you in the market for a Ferrari, you're in luck, there is a swanky dealership in this neighbourhood that will be happy to help lighten your wallet. For the rest of us, there are some more affordable options at AMAG Basel including:Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Cupra and Bentley.
Concert Venues
Sommer Casino hosts a number of live events including concerts (indie, pop, rock and hip hop) as well as exhibitions, comedy shows and even slam poetry readings. Refreshments are on site in the form of the buvette Alti Liebi, which also has a daily lunch menu and nice garden seating.
Viertal Dach is another great live venue that has concerts, comedy shows, films and sunset salsa, among other events. It's know for its fabulous roof top patio as well as its friendly and laid-back atmosphere and great food. For those of you who are not night owls they also serve a mean Sunday brunch.
Münchensteinerstrasse 1, 4052 Basel
Münchensteinerstrasse 81, 4052 Basel
Pet Stores
Qualipet has a huge range of products for pets, with everything from bedding to accessories and food. There’s also a range of specialist foods, so this pet shop is ideal if your pet is on a vet-prescribed diet.
Fressnapf has a wide selection of products for cats, dogs, fish, reptiles and many more animals. There’s parking available at the shop, which is useful if you’re buying heavy bags of feed or bedding.
Station Circus
Station Circus was a project that began in 2014 that provided a training area for travelling and youth circuses. They are now a collective of performers in Basel that focus on contemporary and innovative circus productions that blend performance, theatre, dance, music, visual arts and light and media design.
Münchensteinerstrasse 103, 4052 Basel
Theater Arlecchino
Theater Arlecchino is a children's theatre company (German speaking) that has a number of productions throughout the year to delight the small ones. They also run camps and workshops during school holidays and can be booked for kids birthday parties as well.
Walkeweg 122, 4052 Basel
Casino Tennis Club
The Casino Tennis Club was founded in 1886 and is ideal for all tennis fans from novice to advanced. The club has four clay courts, two of which are floodlit (ideal for a game after work) and a comfortable clubhouse with a bar. Tennis coaching is available and there are regular events and competitions so it is a great way to meet fellow St Alban residents if you’re new to the area.
Emanuel Büchel-Strasse 70, 4052 Basel)
Impact Hub Basel
Impact Hub Basel is primarily a co-working space, but also so much more. It prides itself on community involvement and hosts a number of programs, events and workshops including mentoring programs as well as a start-up incubator. Focus is placed on sustainability, diversity and wellness and they have a number of programs to compliment these ideals. There is a on-site cafe and a number of membership plans including one for people who do not need an office space, but still want to be part of a community. There are even daily rates for those who just need an occasional meeting space as well as event spaces with fully equipped audio/visual capabilities.
Münchensteinerstrasse 274a, 4053 Basel
Music Schools
There are a number of good music schools in this neighbourhood. Musik Academia Basel is housed in a beautiful garden setting and has been offering music instruction for all ages in a wide variety of instruments (including vocal and choirs) for 150 years. There are numerous practice classrooms as well as 4 concert halls with excellent acoustics and even a cafeteria and bar to socialize with your fellow musicians.
Drumschool Basel has been offering drum lessons for all ages and levels from beginner to professional since 1985. They also have extensive knowledge of drumming technology and song analysis. Trial lessons are also available.
For the little ones, Kindermusik has lessons for children from newborn to age 7. Part of the Kindermusik (TM) brand, this site is part of 40 worldwide locations that have been researching early childhood development with music for over 30 years.
Leonhardsstrasse 6, 4051 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
International Schools
Engelgasse 103, Elementaire, 4052 Basel
Gartenstrasse 93, 4052 Basel
Gellertstrasse 25, 4052 Basel
The Early Years and Lower Primary classes of ELA Basel (The Swiss British School of Basel) are housed at their Gartenstrasse site, whilst Upper Primary students are a ten-minute walk away in the Vorstädte district. The Gartenstrasse site offers large rooms for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and classrooms for Primary 1 and 2 classes. Using the English National Curriculum as a framework, ELA Basel seeks to ensure that every child becomes a ‘curious and happy young learner’.
Founded in 1884, the Ecole Française de Bâle welcomes children from the ages of 3 months to 12 years old and follows the curriculum established by the French Ministry of Education. The Engelgasse campus serves as their elementary school, with younger students based in Gundeli. The recent addition of a 6th grade allows students to move onto the Swiss secondary school system in Basel without an entrance exam.
Bilingual Kids Academy is located across four campuses in Basel. The two campuses on Gellertstrasse house children attending Preschool, Kindergarten and Grades 1-6. The school offers a bilingual English and German education taught by native speakers and follows the Primary Years Programme (PYP), a curriculum established by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Academic Programmes.
Gyms
There are truly a staggering number of gyms in this neighbourhood, especially in the Dreispitz area. Power Up provides a holistic approach to fitness with a combination of exercise, meditation and nutrition. Pilates Time is a fully equipped pilates studio that offers a number of group and private classes.
Studio NEESY is well known in Basel and offers a holistic approach as well, but with a focus on fitness training and weight loss. Squat Fit specializes in high intensity classes including Zumba and 'Jump', a class on mini trampolines.
Some of the more traditional gyms include Fitorama, Indigo, Pure Gym and Update Fitness, all of which are fully equipped and offer a range of classes. If you want to get back to basics try Cave Gym Basel which is weigh training only.
Hardstrasse 41, 4052 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
Aeschengraben 29, 4051 Basel
Lange Gasse 90, 4052 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 4, 4053 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9d, 4053 Basel
Dance Schools
To get your groove on there are a number of dan e studios in St. Alban. SE Studio Tanzschule has hip hop, breakdance and jazz lessons for both children and adults. They also have a small location in Riehen, with lessons primarily for children.
Tanzstudio Formbar, also known as Ballet Basel has a more classical focus with lessons in ballet, contemporary and modern dance for all ages including small children.
Tanz Projekte has an eclectic offering of classes including, Afro, Latin and Indian dances as well as Qigong (similar to Tai Chi). All ranges of experience are welcome and you can have a trial lesson for only 5CHF.
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
Leimgrubenweg 9, 4053 Basel
Reinacherstrasse 267, 4053 Basel
Friedhof Wolfgottesacker
Surprisingly tranquil, despite being in the heart of Dreispitz, Wolfgottesacker is one of the most important cemeteries in Switzerland. The neo-Romanesque buildings and the beautiful garden, filled with chestnut and maple trees, are listed as of historical significance. If you’re intrigued by Basel’s long history, you may be interested in the grand memorials and tombs, many belonging to prestigious Basel families.
Münchensteinerstrasse 99, 4053 Basel
Parks
Andrews Heusler Spielplatz
Andreas Heusler-Strasse 42, 4052 Basel
Sekundarschule St. Alban Engelgasse 40, 4052 Basel
Andrews Heusler Spielplatz has a compact but well-equipped playground and is a popular meeting spot for young families in the area. There are picnic benches, a climbing frame, sandpit and a small paddling pool - the perfect place to bring your toddler on a hot summer’s day. Older siblings will enjoy the ping pong table so make sure to bring your paddles and a ball.
Although not an official park, Sekundarschule St. Alban has a large football pitch, table-tennis courts and basketball hoops which become a popular gathering place for local children on the weekends and after-school. If you’re living in an apartment in the vicinity, this is a great place to bring the kids on a sunny afternoon - they might even make a few new friends.
Set just a stone’s throw from the banks of the Birs, Schwarzpark offers a pleasant place for a stroll. There’s a large deer enclosure and a very small playground (best suited for toddlers and very young children). The park provides a surprisingly peaceful retreat amidst the urban surroundings.
sources
Statistics (June 2022):
Average Annual Rent: Real Advisor
Green Space: Residential Area Indicators
Walkability: Walk Score
For more statistical information on the neighborhood visit Basel Stadt’s Neighborhood Profiles.