Melchior Berri Mailbox

In the streets of the old town, you might notice some unusual old cast-iron mailboxes, decorated with a small white dove holding a letter in its beak. I’m pointing them out here because you’ll find one just ahead, on the façade of the building on your left. These mailboxes, known in the local dialect as the Basler Dybli, are one of Basel’s discreet but much-loved symbols. They were designed between 1843 and 1844 by the architect Melchior Berri, an important figure of Swiss Neoclassicism who also designed several major buildings in the city. At the time, the postal service was looking for a way to connect different neighborhoods more easily to the distribution network, and six decorative mailboxes were installed at key locations around Basel. Their style is typically neoclassical, with an elegant structure, the coat of arms of Basel at the top, and the messenger dove, symbol of mail, which became their signature detail. The idea was immediately popular, and more were soon added. Today, six of these historic mailboxes are still in service, more than 180 years after they were first installed. They are protected as heritage elements and continue to be used every day. Melchior Berri even reused the dove motif in 1845 to design the famous Basel Dove stamp, considered the first tricolor postage stamp in the world.