The Most Unusual Airport in Europe Is Shared by Two Countries and Is a Unique Place in the World

Airports are iconic places for contemporary travel. In their corridors, typically, there is a transition from one location to another that acclimates newcomers through small details in their shops and decor. Many look similar, even identical, while others catch attention for their unique features, such as the airport that crosses a street where you must wait for planes to pass.

Some stand out for their size, like Beijing International Airport, considered one of the largest in the world; or the airport on the Caribbean island of Saba, known as one of the smallest. From engineering marvels to runways that make you hesitate to fly, these points connecting different parts of the world can sometimes be curiosities in themselves. This is the case of what is known as Eurosport, a structure that stands out not for how it is built, but for its location.

The official name of this place is the EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, and among its corridors lies a curiosity that makes it one of the strangest you will ever visit in your life. It is located near the municipality of Saint-Louis in the Alsace region of France. However, this municipality is part of the metropolitan area of Basel in Switzerland, which also extends into German territory, making the airport one that is used by three nationalities.

In its conception, it stands out as the world's first bi-national airport. This situation made the airport, for a long time, a unique place to travel, as those wanting to cross to the Swiss side of the airport had to go through customs since the country was not included in the Schengen area until 2004.

Thus, in the world, there is an airport administered by three different countries, leading to an administrative council composed of eight French members, two Swiss representatives, and two Germans.

Although it may seem strange, this location makes a lot of sense when you understand which city it serves. Basel, one of Switzerland's main cities, is located in the northwestern corner of the country, right at the border with France and Germany. The place has origins dating back to the 6th century B.C., where, among other things, the oldest university in Switzerland can be found. An ancient place, much older than the country it is part of, which has had notions as a state since 1291.

With the formation of current borders, the city remained centered in Switzerland, but continued to expand into the other two countries where part of its metropolitan area currently extends. This fact allows residents of Basel to, for example, work in Germany while shopping in Switzerland before returning home to France.