The Markgräflerhof is a baroque palace in

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, built by the margraves of

Baden-Durlach The Margraviate of Baden-Durlach was an early modern territory of the Holy Roman Empire, in the upper Rhine valley, which existed from 1535 to 1771. It was formed when the Margraviate of Baden was split between the sons of Margrave Christopher ...

, who used it as an extraterritorial residence as their principality including its residences was often the victim of wars and armies. The margraves had several residences in Basel, but the construction of current palace started under margrave Frederick VII in 1698 when a fire destroyed the previous building. The palace was ready to moved in by 1705. The architect was an entrepreneur Augé who based himself on plans from a book by the French architect Charles Daviller. Frederick VII's successor Charles III William also often used the palace. But afterwards, the margraves predominantly resided in

Karlsruhe Karlsruhe ( , , ; South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the third-largest city of the German state (''Land'') of Baden-Württemberg after its capital of Stuttgart and Mannheim, and the 22nd-largest city in the nation, with 308,436 inhabitants. ...

. The city of Basel purchased the palace in 1807 and the

University Hospital of Basel The University Hospital of Basel (German: ''Universitätsspital Basel'', USB), in Basel, is one of the five university hospitals of Switzerland. Since 1842 it is located in a former palace, the Markgräflerhof. USB brings together 50 clinics, u ...

has used the building since 1842.

References and sources

* Axel Christoph Gampp: Der Markgräflerhof in Basel. Das erste Barockpalais der Schweiz; in: Insitu. Zeitschrift für Architekturgeschichte, 2012, 1, S. 77-92.

External links

German article on the palace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Markgraflerhof Buildings and structures in Basel