Living in Breite — Basel neighbourhood

The name Breite derives from "die Gebreite", a field name from the 14th century — despite its name ("breite" meaning "wide"), the quarter between the Birs and the Rhine in Basel's south is actually rather narrow and green. Built up from the mid-19th century, the Breite was until 1950 a classic working-class quarter: more than half the population worked in what was once Basel's most important export industry, silk-ribbon weaving, or in construction, and for decades the quarter was a stronghold of social democracy. In dialect, its residents are still known as "Braitlemer" or "Braiti" today. The Breite has retained its down-to-earth, unpretentious character to this day and has been largely spared from gentrification. The Rheinbad Breite, a steel river bathing facility built in 1898 with its own restaurant, is one of the oldest still-operating baths in Basel. Every August the quarter celebrates its own "Breilemerfest" at the Birsköpfli. The Birsköpfli park and the Rhine riverside paths make the quarter popular with joggers and those seeking recreation, while traditional pubs ("Beizen") define its streetscape.