The Bruckgut estate lies at the foot of the hill, below the village centre of Münchenstein

Münchenstein

Münchenstein is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Landschaft in Switzerland.-Historical records:Münchenstein is first mentioned in 1196 as Kekingen. In 1270 it was mentioned as Geckingen and in 1279 as Munchenstein.* 1259: The hamlet and the mill, between "Neue...

, in the canton

Cantons of Switzerland

The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...

 of Basel-Country

Basel-Country

Basel-Landschaft , is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal...

 in Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

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The Bruckgut farming estate is listed as a heritage site of national significance

Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance

The Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance is a register of some 8,300 items of cultural property in Switzerland...

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Geographical location

Up until the end of the 18th century, the lowlands of the river Birs

Birs

The Birs is a 73-km long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden.- Picture gallery :...

 were very sparsely populated. Once where the river meandered its way into the Rhine, is where the modern day Münchenstein spreads itself. The Bruckgut estate lies in the Münchenstein lowlands on the right hand bank of the river Birs. The Bruckgut farmhouse and the barn are on the opposite bank of the river.

History

First an immured manor house with gabled roof stood here. The privately owned estate Bruckgut was built in 1758 for the Basler manufacturer Markus Weiss-Leissler (1696-1768). Next to the estate is a gardeners house. On a high-situated rock above the estate is a pavilion dated 1764.

The most important crossing over the Birs between Basel and Münchenstein up until the mid 18th century was a wooden bridge and tollhouse by the Bruckgut. Prior to the erection of the single-track railway bridge in 1874/75 by Gustave Eiffel

Gustave Eiffel

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French structural engineer from the École Centrale Paris, an architect, an entrepreneur and a specialist of metallic structures...

 the river was straightened and embanked. The opening of the Jurabahn from Basel to Delémont

Delémont

Delémont is the capital of the Swiss canton of Jura. The city has approximately 11,000 inhabitants as of 2007.-Geography:Delémont lies southwest of Basel, about halfway between Basel and Bienne...

 (German: Delsberg) was on September 23 1875. It is exactly at this point where the Munchenstein rail disaster

Munchenstein rail disaster

The Munchenstein rail disaster on 14 June 1891 was historically the worst railway accident ever to affect Switzerland. A crowded passenger train fell through a girder bridge, killing over seventy people and injuring many more...

 occurred on 14 June 1891, historically the worst railway accident ever to affect Switzerland.

The farm house and barn were built in 1888 by the famous Swiss Philanthropist

Philanthropist

A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

 Carl Geigy

Carl Geigy

Carl Geigy was a famous Swiss Philanthropist.-Biography:Geigy was son of Carl , Basler Entrepreneur, and Margaretha Emilie Burckhardt...

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Architecture

Samuel Werenfels

Samuel Werenfels (Architect)

Samuel Werenfels was a famous Swiss Baroque architect.-Early life:Samuel Werenfels, son of Peter Werenfels and Catharina Socin, grew up in Basel. He was grandnephew and godson of the likewise named Swiss theologian Samuel Werenfels...

(1720-1800) designed the estate house.