Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Re-purposed ship to become Basel cultural space

Gannet 1954
Georgios Kefalas/Keystone

Basel residents caught quite a sight as a 600-tonne ship was brought to the city and hauled out of the Rhine this week. 

The British lightship called Gannet will be converted into a temporary venue for concerts, restaurants and other events hosting up to 300 people.

The ship is actually a creative solution to a complicated turn of events.

After community objections delayed plans for a more permanent event space on the fallow land of Basel’s Klybeck island, a local organisation came up with the idea of bringing the ship ashore and renovating it as a temporary cultural space.

The whole project is expected to cost CHF900,000 ($919,000).

The ship, which took three hours to bring ashore, should be ready to welcome guests in a year. Before settling into its new home, the 42-meter-long ship was anchored off the Irish coast for about 70 years.

More
The harbour crane on the side of a river in Zurich

More

Bidding farewell to the harbour crane

This content was published on It became one of the most talked about public art projects in recent memory in Switzerland – the controversial harbour crane erected in a picturesque spot on the side of a river in Zurich.

Read more: Bidding farewell to the harbour crane

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Gestational diabetes increases the risk of adult-onset diabetes

More

Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes

This content was published on A research team from the Lake Geneva region has identified persistent dysfunctions in glucose regulation in women with gestational diabetes. In the long term, this can increase the risk of adult-onset diabetes by up to ten times.

Read more: Gestational diabetes found to increase risk of adult-onset diabetes
The Graubünden village of Brienz has to be evacuated by midday on Sunday

More

Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday

This content was published on The village of Brienz-Brinzauls in eastern Switzerland, which is threatened by a rockfall, must be evacuated by 1pm on Sunday. All residents must leave the village.

Read more: Swiss village must be evacuated by midday on Sunday
Former judge in Chur found guilty of rape

More

Former Swiss judge found guilty of rape

This content was published on A former judge of the Graubünden Administrative Court in eastern Switzerland has been found guilty of rape, sexual harassment and threatening a former trainee.

Read more: Former Swiss judge found guilty of rape

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR