Basel - The Jesuits will close Basel's Borromäum student residence at the end of 2024 after more than 100 years, but the order itself will remain active in the city. The building complex on Byfangweg was built in the 1960s and must now be renovated or rebuilt. The further use is still being decided.

However, not only the condition of the building, but also the strength of the Jesuits' staff in Basel have led to this decision. While until a few years ago there were around 15 Jesuits present, currently only four Fathers are still active in the city, consisting of four generations between the ages of 39 and 94. "We remain active in Basel, but the decline in the number of members of the order is now leading to a concentration of our forces. We are now primarily involved in pastoral care for students, the department of education and spirituality of the Roman Catholic Church of Basel-Stadt and in retreat work," says the superior of the Jesuit community Fr Martin Föhn SJ, explaining the future of the Jesuits in Basel. The Jesuit community has been living in the Catholic student house at Herbergsgasse 7 since the summer of 2020.

The Borromäum looks back on a long and traditional history. For more than 100 years, the Borromäum at Byfangweg 6, founded and run by the Jesuits, has played an important role for the Catholic Church in Basel; not only as a residence for apprentices and students, but also as a centre for young people, such as the Jünglingsverein, the Jungwacht and the Boy Scouts. Religious instruction was additionally offered for high school students. For a long time, the so-called Borri was also connected to the parish of St. Mary, where the Fathers worked as pastors. It was considered one of the first cinemas in the city.