Description of the attraction
The Blue House and the White House, also known as the Reichensteinerhof and the Wendelsterferhof, are two neighboring mansions located at Rheinspring 16 and 18. These representative houses are one example of Basel's Baroque architecture. These buildings, matching in details of the decor, were built simultaneously from 1763 to 1775 for the brothers Lucas and Jacob Sarasin, who owned a factory for the production of silk fabrics. The buildings were designed by the architect and builder Samuel Vehrenfels. The White House belonged to Lucas (1730-1802), and the Blue House belonged to his younger brother Jacob (1742-1802). The descendants of both brothers founded the Sarasin & Cie Bank in Basel.
Lucas Sarasin in 1763-1775 kept a detailed diary, where he not only carefully recorded all the money spent on production needs and wages for workers, but also wrote down the names of the artists who worked on the interior decoration of both houses. The stucco ceilings by Johann Martin Frochweiss and the tiled stoves from the Faience factory in Bern are preserved in the Blue House. A large number of paintings on the doors have also survived. They were written mainly by German artists.
In the Blue House in 1814, a reception was organized in honor of three European rulers: Alexander I, Franz II and Frederick Wilhelm III.
In 1942 and 1968, the houses became the property of the city of Basel. They now house the offices of the government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
Tourists must be shown several stones on the pavement in front of the houses, which differ in color from the neighboring ones. They say that it was up to this mark in 1797 that Napoleon Bonaparte walked in company with local officials.
