Villa Merian

The Villa Merian, with its English Garden, stands on the elevated plain above Brüglingen in Münchenstein, in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.

The Villa Merian, with its English Garden, stands upon the elevated plain directly above the Watermill Museum Brüglingen.

The original manor house was built in 1711 Baroque style by Alexander Löffler, above the watermill and the canal.

The portico at the front entrance was replaced by a two storey cast iron pavilion, the projecting roof being used as a balcony.

To the rear the winter garden and pergola were replaced by a three axe cast iron open hall way that was encased with artificial marble.

The stairway was replaced and finished with elaborate iron rolling bars, the room arrangement remained unaltered.

With her death the will of her husband became legally binding and the public utility institution Christoph Merian Stiftung came into effect and inherited the manor Brüglingen and the five affiliated farmyards (Singerhof, St. Jakob, Ziegelhütte, Unter- und Vorder-Brüglingen) Standing in Unteren Brüglingen, the lower district, is a mill from the 15th century.

In 1967 the institution Christoph Merian Stiftung made the decision to lease the villa and the estate to the city of Basel, gratuitously for one hundred years, so that a botanical garden could be established on the grounds.

In the lower floor various demolition works were carried out and new toilets for the coffee house were installed, while the unused arched cellar and basements were rebuilt so that they could be utilized.

The painted, stuccoed ceilings with their gold-plated ornaments, the wall panelling, the bas-relief, overdoors and the parquetry were all completely restored.