Knightly Ghosts Haunting St. Johanns-Vorstadt by the Rhine River

January 6, 2026

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Earlier than a contemporary condominium complicated was constructed as an alternative, the world round St Johann district used to belong to the crusader order of St. John. Tales of knights prancing in armor, the anguished screams of youngsters cries coming from the wells in addition to ghostly apparitions within the previous Ritterhaus have haunted the place for ages.

Tucked throughout the twisting streets of previous Basel, the place historical partitions pressed shut in opposition to the stressed Rhine, and a ghost story round each nook. That is very true for the St. Johanns district, a former working class neighborhood the place individuals have lived for the reason that Celts based a settlement right here that might grow to be Basel metropolis.

Learn Extra: Take a look at all ghost tales from Switzerland

Amongst different issues to see is the historic St. Johanns-Tor, one of many three remaining entrances to the previous medieval metropolis and now the landmark of St. Johann Quarter. Among the many quaint streets full of outlets and cafes, there are a lot older issues mentioned to hang-out the streets nonetheless.

File:De Merian Helvetiae, Rhaetiae et Valesiae 135.png — **Previous Basel**: Map of Basel within the olden days. The situation of the Johanniterkommende and Church on a map of the town of Basel from round 1650.

The Armored Rider at Johanniterkommende Basel

Earlier than falling aside, the entire space used to belong to The Order of St. John, which was based after the conquest of Jerusalem by the military of the First Campaign in 1099.

The Knights Hospitaller’s department first documented in Basel in 1206, a so-called commandery. The order devoted itself to the care and help of pilgrims, the sick, and the needy. The entire district is now named after this order. When it was based, the walled complicated, comprising the church, churchyard, and commandery, stood roughly 300 meters northwest of the walled previous city of Basel on the Rhine.

Equally talked about was the specter of a knight in full armor, his visor down and sword raised excessive, who was mentioned to trip by way of the courtyard on the lifeless of evening, the hooves of his phantom steed leaving no mark on the stone.

This could be from The Commandery of the Knights of St. Johns that was the place St. Johanns-Vorstadt 84 to 88 is now. Particularly across the Ritterhaus proper by the river was mentioned to be haunted by the armed knights driving by way of the courtyard.

Commandery of the Knights of St. John around 1640 — **The Haunted Buildings**: The Order of St. John’s settlement round 1640. The B is the place the Knight’s Home was that have been demolished 1929.

In the present day the Ritterhaus, or Knight’s Home is gone because it was demolished in 1929. A contemporary condominium constructing has been constructed as an alternative. Did the ghost go away with the constructing? We all know little concerning the commandery as their archives have been principally passed by the nineteenth century.

The Little one within the Sod Nicely

For hundreds of years, passersby reported listening to the unmistakable sound of a kid’s determined, echoing scream rising from the depths of one of many previous sod wells within the district, a kind of lined properly that was plentiful across the metropolis. The supply of the cry was by no means uncovered, although macabre rumors swirled and the legend of the crying baby ghost endured.

The properly was mentioned to have been near the previous Ritterhaus as properly, though the precise location is unknown. There aren’t most of the previous sod wells left within the metropolis anymore nonetheless, and the query is, did the ghost of the crying baby additionally disappear?

The Pale-Confronted Man and the Girl in Black

Contained in the shadowed rooms of the Ritterhaus, different apparitions made their mournful rounds in addition to exterior. A small white canine, eyes luminous at nighttime, would scamper by way of the halls, vanishing by way of partitions as if chasing after some long-departed grasp.

But it surely was the looks of a person with a deathly, hole face, his options waxen and drained of all life, that stuffed residents and guests alike with a primal dread. He would seem with out sound, his lifeless gaze locking onto the residing, earlier than melting away into nothingness.

Extra unsettling nonetheless was the woman in a black cloak, a theatrical determine mentioned to glide soundlessly by way of the rooms, her face hidden in deep shadow.

Although the Commandery of St. John is lengthy gone, its stones scattered and repurposed, the legends have clung stubbornly to the place like fog. Is it nonetheless one thing left haunting the place?

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