History of the house

We are part of the organisational family of the Basel Mission. Our hotel is housed in the former mission house, which is now a listed building.

The Mission House

In 1857, the Basel Mission bought 12,600 square metres of land outside the city walls, on which the grounds of the Basel Mission with several buildings were built in the following years. The mission house was inaugurated in 1860. Missionaries were trained here until 1960. Training lasted 6 years. In addition to theological training, the missionary students learned languages, geography, ethnology, history, singing and music. They received basic medical training, photographic training and also learned a practical trade.

Gatehouse

Until 1900 there was a gatehouse on the grounds with a porter who also worked as a tailor for the mission. When the cottage became obsolete, it was moved into the garden and still serves as a gardener's house today. The bookshop of the Basel Mission was built on the site of the gatehouse.

Mission garden

The extensive garden connects the various buildings of the Basel Mission to form a whole, the <Missions-Compound>. On the one hand, the garden served for recreation, on the other hand, the mission students were to acquire basic skills in agriculture in their own beds in the rear part.

Bookshop

The bookshop of the Basel Mission was built in 1900. It sold mainly Christian literature, much of which came from the Basel Mission's own publishing house. A large part came from the Basel Mission's own publishing house. 4 rented flats were located above the bookshop. Today, the bookshop is replaced by the fair trade shop <Merci Fair>.

Museum

There was a museum in the entrance area of the mission house until it was closed in 1960. It was open to the public. Masks, spears and ethnographic objects from the mission areas were exhibited. In 1888, the collection comprised 2,900 objects, at the time of closure about 12,000. Today, the collection is housed in the Museum der Kulturen Basel.

Children's house of the Basel Mission

In order for the missionaries' children to receive a European school education, they had to be sent to Europe when they reached school age. The children who could not be taken in by relatives grew up in the children's home. They were only in contact with their parents through letters. The children's house was built in 1859. Today it is a private kindergarten.