Imbergässlein

Basel’s spice merchants once had their lodgings in the Imbergässlein. The name of the steep alleyway is derived from the word for ginger, the spice from Southeast Asia that was very popular in the Middle Ages.

The murals on the facade of the “Haus zum grossen Christoffel” at Imbergässlein 31 depict Saint Christopher with the Christ child. The lovingly designed showcase in the entrance to the building is home to Basel’s smallest museum: the Hoosesaggmuseeum (“trouser pocket museum”). It displays miniature collections that you could almost put in your pocket. Anyone who has a small private collection of very small objects can exhibit them here for a while.