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Similar Gate of Saint Alban, Gate of Saint John, Gate of Spalen, Mittlere Brücke, Birsig | ||
The Basel City Walls are a former complex of walls in the central part of the Swiss city of Basel. The first city wall was completed around 1080 under bishop Burkhard von Fenis. A newer wall was constructed around 1230, which is known as the Inner Wall. In 1362 the construction of a larger wall complex began due to the city's expansion; it was completed in 1398, and is known as the Outer Wall. In 1859 the city's executive decided to raze wall and gates to the ground. Three city gates and a short piece of the wall were saved from demolition and are being preserved as part of the city's heritage.
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History
At the end of the 11th century, the growing settlement in the valley was walled, though settlement continued outside the wall. As the town spread up the west slopes surrounding the Birsig River, that section was walled also. At the beginning of the 13th century, all these sections were included within a single wall that embraced both the valley and hill settlements. New walls were built around 1400, and those are the ones that lasted until the mid-nineteenth century.