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About this place
Tschudi-Park is a small public green space in the St. Johann district of Basel, Switzerland. It is not a showpiece garden: it is a neighbourhood lawn lined with trees, used by locals for kicking a ball around or taking a break. It makes a pleasant short stop if you are staying nearby or walking between the Rhine and the university's life-sciences area.
Where is Tschudi-Park?
The park fills the block bounded by Spitalstrasse, Wilhelm His-Strasse and Johanniterstrasse, next to the St. Johann primary school. The setting is dense city, not a riverbank or hilltop. The area is under heavy redevelopment, with new buildings rising for years, and a new University of Basel life-sciences building is being built across the road on the Schällemätteli site.
Why is it called Tschudi-Park?
The site used to be known as the "Turnplatz", a gymnastics ground. In 2010 the canton's naming commission renamed it after Hans-Peter Tschudi, a Basel native who served on the Swiss Federal Council from 1959 to 1973. He was born in Basel in 1913 and died there in 2002. A naming ceremony was scheduled for 21 June 2010.
What will you see?
An open lawn, a row of trees and a fence separating the grass from the surrounding streets. Until the late 1940s the plot was densely wooded; today it is open ground. Its main use is informal football. On the adjoining school grounds you will find seating and play areas shaded by concrete structures and tree islands, and since 2025 a ground-level trampoline.
Who is it for?
- Families with children looking for a pitch or play space in St. Johann.
- Walkers who want a green pause between sights.
- Visitors curious about everyday Basel beyond the old town.
The park is maintained by Stadtgärtnerei Basel, the city's parks and gardens department, which looks after more than 50 parks and gardens covering about 248 hectares of public green space.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an entrance fee? No. It is a free public green space run by the canton of Basel-Stadt.
Who is the park named after? Hans-Peter Tschudi, a Federal Councillor from 1959 to 1973. The name replaced the earlier "Turnplatz".
Can you play football here? Yes, the lawn is mainly used for casual football.
Is there a playground? The neighbouring St. Johann school grounds have play areas and seating, plus an in-ground trampoline added in 2025.
Who manages the park? Stadtgärtnerei Basel, the city parks and gardens department.
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