Landhof

About

The Landhof was a sports stadium in the district Basel-Wettstein in Kleinbasel, Basel. It was the former and first home stadium of FC Basel. It is mentioned for the first time in a chronicle in the second half of the 18th century as a nice summer house with beautiful property.

The best known owner of the manor was Andreas Merian-Iselin, a member of the Merian family. He was Mayor of Basel and Landammann of Switzerland (highest office at the time). In 1892 the granddaughter of Merian-Iselin sold the Landhof to a certain Katharina Ehrler-Wittich.

As the Football Club Basel 1893 was founded in 1893 and looked for a ground to play, she made the Landhof available free of charge as a playing surface. As early as Sunday, 26 November 1893, the first football game took place on the grounds. From 1895 to 1901 the Vélodrome de Bâle, a cycle track, was also located on the grounds.

In their 1898–99 season, FC Basel's first league game was played here, this was a city derby against BSC Old Boys, in front of nearly 400 spectators. The first international match between the Swiss national team and the Germany national team took place here in April 1908. The Swiss Football Association demanded a seated...