Author: Maarten Koning

The Eye of the Whale

The Swiss cartoonist, illustrator and storyteller Tom Tirabosco (1966) is not only known for his comic albums, children’s book author and contributions in magazines and newspapers, but also his concern about the ecosystem.

He is in particular worried about the global fauna and flora system on land and in the seas.

Tirabosco symbolized his worry by his drawings and music. He also wrote a story through the eye of a whale on the occasion of the ‘Continents of the Whale’ event at the Cartoomuseum in Basel.

He showed the cruelty of the whale hunt.

(Tom Tirabosco Wonderland. Cartoonmuseum Basel).

Light festival Morat/Murten

The light festival of Morat/Murten will take place from 15 to 26 January. In 24 locations, the city centre has turned into a fairytale world of light. Various artists are giving performances, and a multimedia light show, an opera and various other activities are transforming the inner city into a theatre performance. This year, however, the festival also introduces a more serious theme. Special attention is paid to the bilingualism of the city and the canton of Fribourg/Freiburg. That can certainly be useful at a time when the command of both languages is no longer self-evident. (Further information: www.regionmurtensee.ch).

The Wettsteinbrücke and its Guardian

The Wettsteinbrücke (bridge), named after a mayor of Basel (Johann Rudolf Wettstein 1594-1666), was ready on 7 June 1879.

The rapid growth of the trade and the population of Grossbasel and Kleinbasel made a second bridge over the Rhine necessary.

The increased car traffic and the construction of a tramway led to the first widening of the bridge in 1939.

Fasnacht 2023

There was collateral damage, however: the four Basilisks that guarded the access on both sides of the Rhine were removed.

One Basilisk was moved to the Lange Erlen Animal Park (Tierpark) in Basel, the second to a courtyard in Basel and a third to the village Meggen on the shores of Lake of Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee).

The fourth Basilisk also went into exile but was replaced after the renovation and second widening of the bridge in 1996.