Hauptpost Basel, Class A cultural property and main post office in Basel, Switzerland

Hauptpost Basel is a sandstone building in the Grossbasel old town, standing between Freie Strasse and Gerbergasse and reaching back to Rüdengasse. It was built in 1853 by Johann Jakob Stehlin the Younger on the site of the 1376–1378 Kaufhaus, whose gateway arch, attributed to Daniel Heintz, was kept and set into the passage to Gerbergasse. The 1881 extension by Friedrich von Schmidt added the large neo-Gothic counter hall carried on cast-iron columns.

The Hauptpost was built in 1853 by Johann Jakob Stehlin the Younger on the site of the Kaufhaus erected between 1376 and 1378, at Freie Strasse 12. In 1881 Friedrich von Schmidt extended it to the Rüdengasse and added the neo-Gothic counter hall carried on cast-iron columns. The post office closed on 12 November 2021; the owner, AXA Anlagestiftung, commissioned Herzog & de Meuron with the renovation.

The name Hauptpost marks it as Basel's main post office, a role it held until its last day of service on 12 November 2021. Look for the portrait medallions of Rowland Hill, Morse, Volta and Stephenson on the Börsensaaltrakt facing Gerbergasse, carved by Achilles Schlöth in 1886–1888. Inside, Burkhard Mangold's 1909/1910 glass paintings show postmen, mail coaches and railway mail.

The building is located in central Basel, easily reached on foot from nearby streets and squares. It is best viewed during daytime when the surrounding streets are active and the architectural details can be clearly seen.

The building is part of a select group of 70 structures in Basel recognized as the highest class of cultural properties. This designation shows how Basel values the preservation of its architectural heritage, even for everyday buildings that serve practical functions.