Zurich vs Basel: Why the two Swiss cities are fierce rivals
Foreign residents might not realise that there is a long-standing rivalry — some even say animosity — between Switzerland's two big German-speaking cities Zurich and Basel, with each asserting its superiority over the other. So what's it all about?
Recently, Basel’s public transportation company (BVB), which is faced with staff shortages, advertised vacant positions, saying the company would even hire applicants from Zurich, if no local candidates were found.
This may sound somewhat condescending, though BVB insisted the reference to Zurich was meant as a tongue-in-cheek comment rather than an outright dig.
The company had to qualify the remark because in a country that has long avoided conflicts and discords, Zurich and Basel are not exactly neutral about each other.
While the rivalry between the two cities is not new, few people actually know how, and when, this dislike started.
At least part of the reason could be traced back to the years between 1535 and 1547, when each city insisted that its own translation of the Bible was better, generating, as one historical document points out, “friction and intrigue” between “the most renowned scholars of Zurich and Basel.”
It is, however, unlikely that this 16th-century spat would have endured to this day.
A more plausible explanation, given each city’s avid support for its football team, is that soccer, not Bible translations, kicked off the discord.
In the 1960s, the rivalry between FC Basel and FC Zurich took hold because they were the top two teams that fought for the championship.
FC Basel is one side of the conflicted relationship. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP
The friction came to a head — literally — in 2006, when FC Basel supporters attacked their FC Zurich counterparts, after the latter’s win.
The two sides continued to pummel each other, causing injuries on both sides, in an event that went down in Swiss sports history as the ‘Basel hooligan incident.’
And on the other side...FC Zurich. Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP
With time, however, the rivalry between the teams spilled over from football to other aspects of life as well.
To this day, if you ask Zurich residents what they think of Basel, they will tell you it is an old-fashioned, provincial city. Locals in Basel, on the other hand, will say that people in Zurich are arrogant.
Is this rivalry justified?
We can’t control what people think of each other, but looking at objective facts, Zurich and Basel seem to have much in common.
These are some similarities:
- They are both large cities (by Swiss standards), situated in the northern, Swiss-German part of Switzerland.
- They are both major industrial centres: Zurich a financial powerhouse, and Basel a pharmaceutical hub.
- They both have a large international community: 32 percent of the population is foreign in Zurich, and 36.6 percent in Basel.
- And yes, they both have football clubs.
READ ALSO: What we know about Basel's international residents
However, there are some differences as well — none of which justify the rivalry, though.
It is said, for instance, that Basel residents are more laid-back than their higher-strung Zurich counterparts.
But the major difference lies in the cost of living, with Zurich being the more expensive of the two.
Basel's Old Town. Photo: Pixabay
These are some of the costs you can expect to pay in Zurich:
Average monthly net salary: 6,240 francs
Rent for a four-room apartment in the city centre: 3,832.92 francs; 2,737.92 francs farther from the centre
Electricity, heating, water, trash collection for a 85m2 apartment: 252.19 francs a month
Public transportation: one-way, ticket, local: 4.40 francs; Monthly Pass (regular price): 97.50 francs
Monthly childcare (full day, private): 2,772.48 francs
You can see more Zurich prices here.
And this is how Basel fares in comparison:
Average monthly net salary: 5,984.90 francs
Rent for a four-room apartment in the city centre: 2,718.18 francs; 2,055.56 francs farther from the centre
Electricity, heating, water, trash collection for a 85m2 apartment: 268.66 francs a month
Public transportation: one-way, ticket, local: 3.60 francs; Monthly Pass (regular price): 80 francs
Monthly childcare (full day, private): 2,487.50 francs
You can see more Basel prices here.
While each city looks down on the other, they are, nevertheless, united in their feeling of superiority over foreigners — as Swiss generally are.
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Recently, Basel’s public transportation company (BVB), which is faced with staff shortages, advertised vacant positions, saying the company would even hire applicants from Zurich, if no local candidates were found.
This may sound somewhat condescending, though BVB insisted the reference to Zurich was meant as a tongue-in-cheek comment rather than an outright dig.
The company had to qualify the remark because in a country that has long avoided conflicts and discords, Zurich and Basel are not exactly neutral about each other.
While the rivalry between the two cities is not new, few people actually know how, and when, this dislike started.
At least part of the reason could be traced back to the years between 1535 and 1547, when each city insisted that its own translation of the Bible was better, generating, as one historical document points out, “friction and intrigue” between “the most renowned scholars of Zurich and Basel.”
It is, however, unlikely that this 16th-century spat would have endured to this day.
A more plausible explanation, given each city’s avid support for its football team, is that soccer, not Bible translations, kicked off the discord.
In the 1960s, the rivalry between FC Basel and FC Zurich took hold because they were the top two teams that fought for the championship.
The friction came to a head — literally — in 2006, when FC Basel supporters attacked their FC Zurich counterparts, after the latter’s win.
The two sides continued to pummel each other, causing injuries on both sides, in an event that went down in Swiss sports history as the ‘Basel hooligan incident.’
With time, however, the rivalry between the teams spilled over from football to other aspects of life as well.
To this day, if you ask Zurich residents what they think of Basel, they will tell you it is an old-fashioned, provincial city. Locals in Basel, on the other hand, will say that people in Zurich are arrogant.
Is this rivalry justified?
We can’t control what people think of each other, but looking at objective facts, Zurich and Basel seem to have much in common.
These are some similarities:
- They are both large cities (by Swiss standards), situated in the northern, Swiss-German part of Switzerland.
- They are both major industrial centres: Zurich a financial powerhouse, and Basel a pharmaceutical hub.
- They both have a large international community: 32 percent of the population is foreign in Zurich, and 36.6 percent in Basel.
- And yes, they both have football clubs.
READ ALSO: What we know about Basel's international residents
However, there are some differences as well — none of which justify the rivalry, though.
It is said, for instance, that Basel residents are more laid-back than their higher-strung Zurich counterparts.
But the major difference lies in the cost of living, with Zurich being the more expensive of the two.
These are some of the costs you can expect to pay in Zurich:
Average monthly net salary: 6,240 francs
Rent for a four-room apartment in the city centre: 3,832.92 francs; 2,737.92 francs farther from the centre
Electricity, heating, water, trash collection for a 85m2 apartment: 252.19 francs a month
Public transportation: one-way, ticket, local: 4.40 francs; Monthly Pass (regular price): 97.50 francs
Monthly childcare (full day, private): 2,772.48 francs
You can see more Zurich prices here.
And this is how Basel fares in comparison:
Average monthly net salary: 5,984.90 francs
Rent for a four-room apartment in the city centre: 2,718.18 francs; 2,055.56 francs farther from the centre
Electricity, heating, water, trash collection for a 85m2 apartment: 268.66 francs a month
Public transportation: one-way, ticket, local: 3.60 francs; Monthly Pass (regular price): 80 francs
Monthly childcare (full day, private): 2,487.50 francs
You can see more Basel prices here.
While each city looks down on the other, they are, nevertheless, united in their feeling of superiority over foreigners — as Swiss generally are.
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