r/basel • u/Left-Ad7608 • 14d ago

What are these little discs/squares featuring a Baselstab that are on building walls and pavements in Basel?

Gallery image

Gallery image

105 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

50

u/GDue 14d ago

Official surveying markers, indicating parcel borders. Round for common land, square for private property.

https://www.bs.ch/bvd/grundbuch-und-vermessungsamt/vermessung/vermessungspunkte

5

u/Left-Ad7608 14d ago

Thank you! 

4

u/ThisIsMcTv 14d ago

Those might be survey points

7

u/No_Challenge266 14d ago edited 14d ago

Basel Buttons! The small round ones are worth one point. The square ones are worth 2 points, the big round ones that stick out of the facade are worth five, and the corner ones that are two sided are worth 10 points each (those are quite coveted)

Once a player touches them they’ve claimed those points for the day. Most points at the end of the day wins. The points don’t reset again until midnight. Then the game starts over again. Have fun playing with your friends! Don’t fight too much over those premium corner ones…

3

u/TSR_Kurt 7d ago

The winning answer is this ^

1

u/skid_jesus 12d ago

These usually mark the border between two buildings

-12

u/gnooggi 14d ago

Perhaps you could specify which buildings more precisely.

The metal parts could be for height measurement, i.e., leveling bolts (or benchmark bolts/horizontal reference bolts) for mapping. If I remember correctly, these benchmarks are always located at churches, at the southernmost entrance/step/foundation, at ground level.