Binningen Castle

The origins of Binningen Castle date back to 1293, when it was presumably built by Heinrich von Zeise, a citizen of Basel. An earthquake in 1356 reduced the complex to its foundations. After a fire in 1409, which left the castle in ruins, it was rebuilt ten years later. However, it was destroyed again in 1444 during the St. Jakob War by Habsburg troops. Around 1520, a Basel council member acquired the property to counteract a feared expansion by Solothurn. Subsequently, the castle served as a military outpost for Basel and changed hands several times, including the Grieb and Escher vom Glas families. A notable episode was its purchase by Joachim van Berchem and Johann von Brügge in 1545, with the latter turning out to be the Anabaptist leader David Joris living under a false name. After further changes of ownership, including to Nikolaus von Hatstatt and later by inheritance to the city of Basel, it came into the hands of the Counts of Sulz in 1613.