<p>A Brief History of Basel</p><p> The town of Basel was called Basilea or Basilia in Latin and this name is documented from 374 AD</p><p> In 1019 the construction of the cathedral of Basel (the Münster) began. </p><p> In 1225–1226 the Bridge over the Rhine was constructed and Kleinbasel was built to protect it.</p><p> In 1356 the Basel earthquake destroyed much of the city</p><p> In 1412 (or earlier) the well-known guesthouse Zum Goldenen Sternen opened.</p><p> In 1459 the new craft of printing was introduced to Basel.</p><p> In 1501 Basel joined the Swiss Confederation as its eleventh canton.</p><p> In 1543 De humani corporis fabrica, the first book on human anatomy, was published and printed in Basel</p><p> In 1758 Johann Rudolf Geigy-Gemuseus began trading in "materials, chemicals, dyes and drugs of all kinds" in Basel. The company became known as CIBA.</p><p> 1764 Textile Machines are invented in the United Kingdom and the first factories open</p><p> 1801 Swiss engineers start constructing their own machines to make textiles. Factories begin to open in Switzerland</p><p> 1814 Textile Industry machines have replaced production by hand completely in Switzerland.</p><p> 1815 Laws in Zurich and Thurgau prohibits work of children below 10 years.</p><p> 1846 A new law limits daily work to 15 hours for adults and 14 hours for children under 14 years</p><p> 1847 First Swiss railway line Zurich – Baden</p><p> 1854 Basel SBB railway station opens</p><p> 1905 Mittlere Brücke is re-built</p><p> 1946 The airport opens</p><p> 1964 The A3 motorway between Basel and Zurich </p><p> On July 3, 1874 Switzerland's first zoo (the Zoo Basel) opened its doors in the south of the city towards Binningen.</p><p> Today: Basel has Switzerland's only cargo port. Boats bring goods up and down the Rhine and connect to ocean-going ships at the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Basel's airport is set up for airfreight and passengers; the main European highways and railways cross in Basel.</p>