Settled by the Celts in prehistoric times, later by the Romans, then the Alemannic and Frankish people, this region reveals a rich cultural heritage from every era, due to the fact that over many centuries it has been a centre of migration and immigration. Number of castles, ruins, roman excavations, Celtic or Merovingian grave finds, famous collections of art, museums, architecture and more form an extraordinary treasure.
Although three nations today, German, Swiss and French people still share this heritage while speaking the same language, the Alemannic dialect.
Another important shared heritage is "Fasnacht" (Carnival) which retains amazing archaic elements, such as winter fires on the hills or flaming carts paraded through medieval walled towns. The "Waggis" and harlequins are masked characters dating to Napoleonic times while the famous `Basel lanterns´ reflect recent political events so describing an arc from the Celts through the Middle Ages to modern times.
Co-inciding with the Roman Catholic calendar, the season usually begins on the third Sunday before Ash Wednesday and usually ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. But here in the Rhine-valley surrounded by the German Black Forest, the French Vosges and the Swiss Jura, parts of the carnival traditions probably reach back to pre-Christian times. Carnival starts in November in the Black Forest with some traditional events while the high peak carnival with street parades, burning fires and Mardi Gras in Basel goes on for 14 days, ending a week after Ash Wednesday.
Black Forest villages and towns capitulate to seemingly endless processions of devils, gnomes, bears, frogs, cocks, witches and all these creatures of the underworld. Some good, some mischievous, they release showers of sweets or confetti over startled visitors. It´s known as the 5th season of the year, the so-called "most wonderful days of the year" featuring `Gugge-Explosion´, with crazy brass-band music, `Night Caps´ Parade, when the whole town parades in nightclothes, Sunday Street Parade with tons of confetti and sweets or Rose Monday. These are only a few of the best-loved events during the "crazy days - närrische Tage". At night burning wooden disks are launched from the hills to chase away the winter. Huge bonfires, aflame carts and brooms, all give the sign that spring is due.
"Morgestraich" at 4 a.m. on the Monday after Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Mardi-Gras in Basel. At exactly 4 a.m. every light in the old town of Basel is turned off, including the streetlights. With the 4 strokes of the old Town Hall clock, carnival begins and will last exactly 72 hours. Here costumes, masks and lanterns form work of art, troupes with pipes and drums or single musicians stroll up and down the alleyways of historic Basel. Join us to experience three days and nights that transform modern-day Basel into an enchanting place of myths and folklore to the sound of living music from a bygone age.
Official Partners/Contact
If you need more information, feel free to contact us:
Touristinformation Burghof GmbH Lörrach
Herrenstr. 5
D-79539 Lörrach
Tel. +49 (0)76 21-94 089-65
www.loerrach.de
Tourismus GmbH
Todtnauer Ferienland
Meinrad-Thoma-Str. 21
D-79674 Todtnau
Tel. +49 (0)7671 / 9 69 69-5
www.todtnauer-ferienland.de
