Eglisee

Gartenbad Eglisee is the oldest outdoor pool in Basel, set in the Kleinbasel district at Egliseestrasse 85. It works all year: an open-air bath in summer, an indoor pool in winter. It sits close to the Badischer Bahnhof and the Lange Erlen zoo, so it fits easily into a day exploring this side of the city.

What can you do here?

The centrepiece is a 50-metre pool. The grounds also hold a 3-metre diving board, a children's pool and a restaurant for a meal after your swim. The site is step-free, with changing rooms and sanitary facilities adapted for wheelchair users.

What makes Eglisee special?

The most distinctive feature is the seasonal air-supported hall, a tent-like dome held up by air pressure. From autumn to spring it covers the 50-metre pool, so you can swim even in cold months. Waste heat from the neighbouring ice rink warms the water and the air inside. The hall has been in operation since October 2017, and among its users is the swimming club Schwimmverein beider Basel.

The second curiosity is the "Fraueli", a separate women-only bath, the only one of its kind in Basel. It admits women aged 16 and over, and infants may come along.

A short history

Eglisee replaced an older bathhouse, the Badhysli on the Riehenteich, which had to go when the Badischer Bahnhof was built around 1906-07. The first bath, known as the Luft- und Sonnenbad Egliseeholz, opened in the early twentieth century (sources give 1910 or 1911). It was not designed for separate sexes, so women and men used it at different times.

In 1930-31 the site was rebuilt as a modern Gartenbad and opened under its present name. Julius Maurizio and Beda Hefti are credited with the plans. In 1936 a grandstand, floodlighting and a 10-metre diving tower were added, which set a benchmark for pool construction at the time; the tower was removed in 1968. In 1969 two artificial ice rinks began appearing over the pools each winter. Of the original bath only the entrance building survives, and it is a listed monument.

Practical tips

• Address: Egliseestrasse 85, 4058 Basel.
• Outdoor season: according to the city website, the next open-air season starts on 15 May 2027. Hours are longer in summer (7-21 on weekdays) and shorter at the start of the season (9-20).
• Winter: the covered section under the air hall is available in the colder half of the year.
• Current details: check bs.ch shortly before your visit, since hours and prices change from season to season.

Frequently asked questions

Is Eglisee open in winter? Yes, the 50-metre pool is then covered by the air-supported hall and works as an indoor pool.

Is there a women-only area? Yes, the Fraueli is a separate bath for women aged 16 and over, the only one in the city.

Is it wheelchair accessible? Yes, the grounds are level and the changing rooms and toilets are adapted.

How far is it from the station? It is near the Badischer Bahnhof, close to the Lange Erlen zoo.

What is heritage-listed? The entrance building from the original bath.