Basel Münster

The Basel Münster was originally a Catholic church but is a reformed Protestant church today. It was finished in 1500.

Picture:
Inside and outside of the Münster

The Münster is already beautiful when you look at it from the outside. It is built out of red stones with a patterned roof. There is a kind of terrace behind the Münster from where you have a beautiful view over the Rhine and a part of the city of Basel. On the outside of the church are several statues, which are made out of the same stone as the building. I really liked to walk through the big and small cloister, which are on one side of the Münster. The inside of the Münster is rather simple but that can be beautiful too. You can look at some beautiful coloured windows or the interesting pulpit. It is no problem to take pictures inside the Münster but there is also a small shop where you can buy postcards and things like that.

You can go up onto the tower as well and it is only 242 steps to get up there. It costs you a small amount of money to get into the tower, which you can either pay in Euros or Swiss francs. During your climb, you can see the bells of the church. The last part of the climb is a bit steep but it is manageable. From the tower you can look over the timbered houses of Basel or the Rhine and on a clear day you can even see parts of the Black Forest. Definitely a beautiful view from up there.


If you want to read more, you can have a look here:
Wikipedia
Das Basler Münster (German)

Ulmer Münster (Ulm Minster)

The Minster in Ulm, Germany is a Lutheran church, which was completed in 1890.


Picture:
Inside the Münster

You can visit the Minster for free and it is allowed to take pictures inside. I'm not an expert in architecture but the inside of the Minster is really beautiful with high ceilings and beautiful details everywhere. The wooden choir is definitely worth a look and there are several small chambers you can visit as well. Another beautiful sight are the colourful windows, especially when the sun is shining through them. If you want to light a candle for someone you can purchase them in the church for a small amount of money. On the inside and outside you can find different sculptures and the altar is beautiful too.

The steeple is 161.5 meters high and you can climb nearly to the top. You have to pay a couple of Euros when you want to go up but the view you get is definitely worth it. It is 768 steps to the top but you don't have to go all the way because there are three platforms from where you can look at your surroundings. The spiral staircase for the last part is quite narrow and you can only hope that no one comes down while you climb up. The view from the tower is amazing and you can get a good look at Ulm, the Danube or even the Alps when it is a clear day.


When you want to read more, you can have a look here:
Wikipedia
Das Ulmer Münster (German)