Saffron Guild Hall
The Saffron
Guild Hall is the place where the classic Balois' qualities
of maximum flexibility, modern technology, and superb food combine to make it the ideal place for every
type of event.
The
first historical mention of the Saffron Guild,
one of the four Honourable Companies of Basels total of twenty guilds, dates back to 1345. At that time,
the place where Basels spice merchants met for a drink was on the Andreasplatz (St Andrews Square).
Nearly a hundred years later, in 1423, the Honorable Company of the Saffron Guild bought the present
site on Gerbergasse and built its guild hall there. In 1899, this had to give way to a new building,
which was always intended to give a new, powerful expression to the historical character of an old guild
hall. Only three years later, in 1902, the newly built guild hall was completed and officially dedicated.
This building, with its rich tradition, still stands at the heart of Basel and possesses, as befits
a Basel guild, a range of historical guild chambers.
The guild room itself,
with two great murals that show scenes from the Saffron War fought in 1374, occupies the second floor.
Its windows bear the arms of Basel's guilds and Honourable Companies. This grand room maintains Balois
tradition. It can seat about 300 and, with every imaginable variation of seating layout, is available
throughout the year for all kinds of banquets and other special events. Technical aids are readily available
for hire. On the first floor is the so-called Vorgesetztenstube (Masters' Chamber), with oak panelling
that came from the old 1750 guild hall. And when an oak-panelled partition is folded back, this venerable
chamber, with room for about twenty seats, can be opened to the adjacent Andreas-Ryff-Stube, with space
for a further forty seats or so.
The so-called Gilgenstube (Lily Chamber)
is named for the guilds ancient heraldic symbol. This light, airy room comfortably holds sixty people
at round tables. But this guild hall not only houses rooms that are typical of Basel, there is also
its gastronomy which offers a wide choice of food, typical Swiss dishes, and a large number of traditional
Balois specialties.
Address/contact
Restaurant Safran-Zunft
Gerbergasse
11, CH-4001 Basel
Phone +41 (0)61-269 94 94; Fax +41 (0)61 -269 94 99