Laufen
Intro
Laufen is a historic town on the River Birs in the Laufen valley in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. Particularly impressive are the still partially preserved town walls with its town gates and the striking main street.
Laufen’s old town is characterised by its still partially preserved town walls and the three town gates. The Delsberger and Basler gates form the beginning and end of the main street, which is also the small town’s defining feature. The wide cobbled street is characterised at its upper end by the unusually elegant town hall and at its lower end by the Baroque town church. The Water gate – the third of the town’s gates – provides access to the River Birs, which flows past the old town, under an old pointed arch. The suburb directly neighbouring the old town also exudes an extraordinary charm. It impresses with many stately buildings along a wide alley. At its northern end, it widens out into a square, where the magnificent Stadthaus Laufen dating back to 1672 can be found.
Laufen was shaped by its industry, of which only a few buildings remain today. In the 19th century, quarries and the stonemasonry trade as well as a cement factory were in operation. A ceramics factory and an aluminium factory also operated in the town. Over the years, the industrial areas have had to give way to newer districts, which surprise with green spaces such as the town garden.
Laufen has only been part of the canton of Basel-Landschaft since 1994. Due to the secession of the canton of Jura, the Laufen valley also seceded from the canton of Bern a few years later.
ISOS
ISOS is the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance. The inventory is maintained by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and lists the most significant settlements in Switzerland. Today, some 1,200 places are included in the inventory, from hamlets right through to cities. The inventory provides information on the development and identity of the settlements listed in it, thereby contributing to the preservation of architectural diversity in Switzerland and promoting both sustainable planning and a high-quality Baukultur.
