Living in Riehen — municipality near Basel

Riehen originated as an Alemannic settlement in the 6th century; the name has been documented since 1113. In 1522, the city of Basel bought the village — its last major territorial acquisition before the Reformation — and well into the 20th century Riehen remained a farming and wine-growing village. Its own vineyard at the Schlipf dates back to a 1,200-year-old winemaking tradition that continues to this day: when the tractor turns at the end of a vine row, it literally crosses the national border into Germany. World-famous is the Fondation Beyeler, opened in 1997 and designed by star architect Renzo Piano, set within the grounds of the Berower estate with views over the Langen Erlen, Basel's largest forested area. The historic village centre with the Wettsteinhaus recalls Johann Rudolf Wettstein, the Basel mayor who secured the Swiss Confederation's independence from the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 — today the house is home to the MUKS museum. Despite its village-like feel, Riehen regularly ranks among the most liveable municipalities in the region — in a ranking by the Basler Kantonalbank, it took first place among 50 municipalities in north-western Switzerland. Tram 6 connects Riehen with the Badischer Bahnhof and the city centre; the municipality has its own local council.