Important elements of the Basel Carnival are the large parade lanterns which depict the chosen themes of the cliques for the year. They are wheel-mounted or carried by 2 to 4 people.
A parade lantern consists of a canvas-covered frame two to three meters tall that is painted with transparent paint and internally illuminated at night. Introduced in the mid-nineteenth century, the original function of the lanterns was to serve as lamps at the early morning ‘Morgestraich’ procession after torches were banned in 1845.
A highlight of Basel Carnival is the lantern exhibition on Münsterplatz, where the more than two hundred parade lanterns are impressively placed on display.