Northern Switzerland Monument preservationist vetoes fondue hut in Basel's museum courtyard
Basel's monument preservation authorities have vetoed the construction of a seasonal fondue hut in the courtyard of the Museum of Antiquities. The reason given was that the construction would impair the historical and artistically valuable substance, which has caused irritation at the museum.
02.07.2024, 11:22
SDA
The conflict was highlighted by the co-report of the Education and Culture Committee of the Grand Council (BKK) on the Finance Committee's report on the annual accounts. According to the report, the Museum of Antiquities upgraded its backyard with a temporary wooden hut in the winter of 2023/2024. The offer was used extensively and brought new visitors to the museum.
However, the cantonal monument preservation authority did not want to speak of an upgrade. A temporary arrangement was tolerated for a limited period of time, writes a spokeswoman for the Department of Building and Transport, which is responsible for the preservation of historical monuments, in response to an inquiry from the Keystone-SDA news agency. "A repetition of such a wooden hut would impair the dignified and valuable architecture over a longer period of time."
No ski hut in a courtyard worthy of protection
The reason given is that the surroundings are worthy of protection. According to the spokesperson, the courtyard is located in a protected zone and is almost completely surrounded by historically and artistically valuable protected objects. In this environment, a "ski hut-like" capanna would not be able to meet the high standards, even as a temporary solution.
According to the BKK report, the fact that a new permit has now not been granted has led to "some irritation" on the part of the museum - after all, it was precisely this measure that ensured that the inner courtyard of the Museum of Antiquities, which is hardly used by visitors in winter, was shown to its best advantage.
