In front of you stands Martinskirche, the oldest parish church in Basel. It is mentioned as early as the beginning of the twelfth century and stands on the historic Münsterhügel hill overlooking the Rhine. The current building was largely rebuilt in Gothic style after the great earthquake of 1356, although the base of the tower still dates back to the thirteenth century. In the sixteenth century, the church played an important role during the Reformation, when the theologian Johannes Oecolampadius preached here in German, marking a turning point for the city. In the nineteenth century, Martinskirche gradually changed its function and began to be used as a concert hall, appreciated for its acoustics, and it still regularly hosts musical events today. Outside, above the southern portal, a fresco shows Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar, recalling the saint who gave the church its name. Its bells are also linked to local traditions, notably announcing the opening of the autumn fair and the beginning of the famous Basel Carnival.