Cite this as: Lassau, G. 2025 Pipes tell Basel's Urban History. Archaeology and the Expansion of the District's Heating Network, Internet Archaeology 70. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.70.14
Canton Basel-Stadt has a rich prehistoric and historic heritage. The former episcopal town is exceptionally well preserved, and is the largest historical city centre in Switzerland. The canton's Climate Protection Strategy includes a reduction in emissions by expanding the use of solar energy and a district-wide heating network. Over the next 10 years, the district's heating system will be expanded to form a network of 60 km, with a budget of 460 million Swiss francs. The new heating network and the upgrading of old pipes will provide the Archaeology Service with many opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of Basel's past. Against this background, we have carried out three simultaneous rescue excavations in the historical city centre during the last two years. As part of the Office of Culture, one of the high priority tasks for the Archaeology Service is to present the results of the excavations and research projects to the public. In order to make the public aware of the need for archaeological excavation, the Service puts a lot of energy into public relations work, using posters, press briefings, exhibitions and social media posts. Thanks to public participation, it has been possible to build a positive environment for our work.
Corresponding author: Guido Lassau
guido.lassau@bs.ch
Archäologische Bodenforschung
Figure 1: In 2022, the remains of a row of houses, which had fallen victim to a devastating fire in the 14th century, came to light on Marktplatz, Basel, Switzerland.
Figure 2: An aquamanile in the shape of a lion and pottery, found in Marktplatz in 2022, on display in an exhibition that opened to the public in 2024.
Figure 3: Media conference with Beat Jans, then President of the Government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt and now Federal Councillor of Switzerland, at a pop-up exhibition during a Night of Museums in 2023, displaying early medieval finds from graves excavated during the expansion of the district heating network in 2021/2022.
Figure 4 (video): Media presentation on the history of Basel in the late Roman period. Also on YouTube.
Figure 5 (online version): Archaeological information point at the Department of the Environment and Energy (Amt für Umwelt und Energie), with a media presentation https://www.archaeologie-aue.ch/ on the history of settlement near the mouth of the River Birsig, an original wall from the 12th century, and a showcase of finds.
Bernasconi, M., Savary, J., Schmidig, R. and Wicki, S. 2023 'Die Freie Strasse. Ein Weg durch 2000 Jahre Basler Geschichte', Jahresbericht der Archäologischen Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt 2022, 115–51. https://doi.org/10.12685/jbab.2022.115-151
Bernasconi, M. et al. 2024 Geborgen aus dem Untergrund. Exhibition Catalogue. Museum Kleines Klingental, 18th May 2024 to 16th March 2025. Basel.
Graber, S., Hodel, C., Martin, E., Savary, J., Schmidig, R. and Wyss, B. 2023 'Über den Spuren der Anderen. Ausgrabungen zur Fernwärmeleitung im Jahr 2022', Jahresbericht der Archäologischen Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt 2022, 81–113. https://doi.org/10.12685/jbab.2022.81-113
Lassau, G. and Schwarz, P.-A. (eds) 2024 Auf dem langen Weg zur Stadt. 50 000 v. Chr.–800 n. Chr, Stadt.Geschichte.Basel 1, Basel: Christoph Merian Verlag.
Sieber-Lehmann, C. and Schwarz, P.-A. (eds) 2024 Eine Bischofsstadt zwischen Oberrhein und Jura. Basel 800–1273, Stadt.Geschichte.Basel 2, Basel: Christoph Merian Verlag.
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