I once read that the Spalentor is one of Basel’s most interesting iconic buildings—it's almost a whole history lesson in a single building! It truly does stand out in the city's old town with its unique architecture. The tower's history is very interesting because it is linked to one of the main events that shaped the city: the earthquake of 1356.

That dramatic seismic event reduced the city to ruins, and when it had to be rebuilt, the city was enclosed by a bigger ring of walls. This included multiple defensive structures, such as seven gate towers, and one of them was indeed the Spalentor. Today, the tower stands as a symbol of the city's history, alongside other historic landmarks like the St. Johanns-Tor and the St. Alban-Tor.