Predigerkirche (Preacher's Church), Basel

The Predigerkirche of Basel is a Catholic church, first built between 1233 and 1237 as a monastery church of the Dominican Order. Renovated from 1262 to 1269, it became one of the first churches in the Upper Rhine to be designed in Gothic style. In 1269, the choir was consecrated by the well-known Dominican Albertus Magnus, Bishop of Regensburg.

In 1356, the Basel earthquake destroyed large parts of the building. Renovations in the following decades produced frescoes depicting Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, and the Dominican Vincent Ferrer. The church was actively used by the Council of Basel participants throughout 1431-1449.

During the iconoclasm of 1529, almost all of the inner furnishings were destroyed and the monastery was dissolved. From 1684, the choir was used as a fruit and salt store. Between 1692 and 1836, the former monastery garden served as the botanical garden of the University of Basel. The monastery buildings were demolished in 1857, and from 1876 to 1877 the church was completely renovated to serve the Christian Catholic community.

The most valued treasures inside include a gold-plated lecture cross from the Middle Ages and three icons recovered in 2003, showing baby Jesus with the Mother of God and archangels Gabriel and Michael.

There are four organs in the church, the main of which was built in 1767-1769.