The Wenkenhof and English Park in Riehen

2 January 2024

Wenkenhof first appears in the early Middle Ages and refers to an estate on the hillside above the Wiesental. The  Wenken is mentioned in a document as early as 751 as the property of Ebo, a count of an Alemannic tribe.

The estate belonged successively to the abbey of St. Gallen (c. 800-ca 1100) and the monastery of St. Blasien (c. 1100-early 17th century). Afterwards, there were several private owners.

In 1735, the Basler Johann Heinrich Zäslin (1697-1752) bought the estate. He built a  summer residence in the French style. After several successors, the complex was converted into a country house in 1860 and expanded with other buildings. The architect was Johann Jakob Stehlin (1826-1894), who designed many residential and public buildings in Basel. The large complex was given the names Alte Wenken and Neue Wenken.

In 1917, the industrialist Alexander Clavel-Respinger (1881-1973) bought the estate. He created the English Park and restored the French garden to its former glory.  The terrace with a view of Basel was completed in 1957.

In 1932, the owner donated the Alte Wenken to Basel. The park belongs to the municipality of Riehen and is open to the public.

The Alexander Clavel Foundation owns the Neue Wenken and its French garden. The garden is open to the public on Sundays.

(Source and further information: www.wenkenhof.ch)