Wiesendamm Promenade

The Wiesendamm is a raised embankment path that runs beside the Wiese in Riehen, and it is the most direct way for a walker to get to know this part of the Basel area. As the name suggests, a Damm is a dam or levee, and the structure was built to keep the river within its banks and protect the fields and villages beside it. Over time the embankment became a favourite route for walking, running and cycling, and it is now used as a promenade that gives views over the river on one side and over meadows and gardens on the other.

Because the path runs on top of a levee, it has a slightly raised position that makes the walk feel open and airy. Looking down, you see the river with its gravel banks, shallow pools and overhanging willows, and in places the water is clear enough to see small fish. On the other side, the land opens into meadows and playing fields, with the gardens and houses of Riehen behind. The surface is mostly gravel or packed earth, and the gradient is almost flat, so it suits walkers of all ages as well as strollers and, in many places, wheelchairs. Mature trees line parts of the route and provide shade in summer, and benches are placed at intervals.

The promenade links several places of interest. In one direction it leads toward the centre of Riehen and its cultural attractions, including the Fondation Beyeler and the Wenkenhof gardens, which can be reached by a short detour from the path. In the other direction, the route follows the river toward the Lange Erlen park and the edge of Basel, so a walker can continue for several kilometres without leaving the green corridor. It is therefore an easy way to string several visits together, or to choose the length of walk to suit the day, from twenty minutes to a few hours. A circuit that follows one bank out and the other back is a good option, using the footbridges that cross the river at various points.

The path has a distinct character in each season. In spring, new leaves and blossoms appear, and birdsong is loud in the early morning. In summer, people picnic and cool off in the shallows at places where access to the water is easy, and the path is busy in the evenings with joggers and cyclists. In autumn, the leaves turn and the light is soft, while in winter the path is quiet and the frost on the grass gives the landscape a stark beauty.

As in all public spaces shared by walkers, joggers and cyclists, courtesy is important. Cyclists should ring a bell or call out before passing and slow down near pedestrians, and dogs should be kept under control and on a lead where requested. The promenade is free and open at all times, but in the dark it is not lit in all places, so a torch is advisable for evening walks. It suits families, joggers, dog walkers and anyone seeking a quiet stroll close to the city, and it is reached by tram and bus from Basel.