diff --git a/include/cppast/cpp_class.hpp b/include/cppast/cpp_class.hpp
index 9762b3d..68964ef 100644
--- a/include/cppast/cpp_class.hpp
+++ b/include/cppast/cpp_class.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ namespace cppast
     class cpp_access_specifier final : public cpp_entity
     {
     public:
+        static cpp_entity_kind kind() noexcept;
+
         /// \returns A newly created access specifier.
         /// \notes It is not meant to be registered at the [cppast::cpp_entity_index](),
         /// as nothing can refer to it.
@@ -66,6 +68,8 @@ namespace cppast
     class cpp_base_class final : public cpp_entity
     {
     public:
+        static cpp_entity_kind kind() noexcept;
+
         /// \returns A newly created base class specifier.
         /// \notes It is not meant to be registered at the [cppast::cpp_entity_index](),
         /// as nothing can refer to the specifier itself.
@@ -111,16 +115,24 @@ namespace cppast
     class cpp_class final : public cpp_entity, public cpp_entity_container<cpp_class, cpp_entity>
     {
     public:
+        static cpp_entity_kind kind() noexcept;
+
         /// Builds a [cppast::cpp_class]().
         class builder
         {
         public:
             /// \effects Sets the name and kind and whether it is `final`.
-            explicit builder(std::string name, cpp_class_kind kind, bool is_final)
+            explicit builder(std::string name, cpp_class_kind kind, bool is_final = false)
             : class_(new cpp_class(std::move(name), kind, is_final))
             {
             }
 
+            /// \effects Marks the class as final.
+            void is_final() noexcept
+            {
+                class_->final_ = true;
+            }
+
             /// \effects Builds a [cppast::cpp_base_class]() and adds it.
             void base_class(const cpp_type_ref& base, cpp_access_specifier_kind access,
                             bool is_virtual)
diff --git a/src/cpp_class.cpp b/src/cpp_class.cpp
index 3687b8f..4b204d8 100644
--- a/src/cpp_class.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp_class.cpp
@@ -46,17 +46,32 @@ const char* cppast::to_string(cpp_access_specifier_kind access) noexcept
     return "should not get here either";
 }
 
-cpp_entity_kind cpp_access_specifier::do_get_entity_kind() const noexcept
+cpp_entity_kind cpp_access_specifier::kind() noexcept
 {
     return cpp_entity_kind::access_specifier_t;
 }
 
-cpp_entity_kind cpp_base_class::do_get_entity_kind() const noexcept
+cpp_entity_kind cpp_access_specifier::do_get_entity_kind() const noexcept
+{
+    return kind();
+}
+
+cpp_entity_kind cpp_base_class::kind() noexcept
 {
     return cpp_entity_kind::base_class_t;
 }
 
-cpp_entity_kind cpp_class::do_get_entity_kind() const noexcept
+cpp_entity_kind cpp_base_class::do_get_entity_kind() const noexcept
+{
+    return kind();
+}
+
+cpp_entity_kind cpp_class::kind() noexcept
 {
     return cpp_entity_kind::class_t;
 }
+
+cpp_entity_kind cpp_class::do_get_entity_kind() const noexcept
+{
+    return kind();
+}
diff --git a/src/libclang/class_parser.cpp b/src/libclang/class_parser.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3bd13f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libclang/class_parser.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2017 Jonathan Müller <jonathanmueller.dev@gmail.com>
+// This file is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file
+// found in the top-level directory of this distribution.
+
+#include <cppast/cpp_class.hpp>
+#include <clang-c/Index.h>
+
+#include "libclang_visitor.hpp"
+#include "parse_functions.hpp"
+
+using namespace cppast;
+
+namespace
+{
+    cpp_class_kind parse_class_kind(const CXCursor& cur)
+    {
+        switch (clang_getCursorKind(cur))
+        {
+        case CXCursor_ClassDecl:
+            return cpp_class_kind::class_t;
+        case CXCursor_StructDecl:
+            return cpp_class_kind::struct_t;
+        case CXCursor_UnionDecl:
+            return cpp_class_kind::union_t;
+        default:
+            break;
+        }
+        DEBUG_UNREACHABLE(detail::assert_handler{});
+        return cpp_class_kind::class_t;
+    }
+
+    cpp_class::builder make_class_builder(const CXCursor& cur)
+    {
+        auto kind = parse_class_kind(cur);
+        auto name = detail::cxstring(clang_getCursorSpelling(cur));
+        return cpp_class::builder(name.c_str(), kind);
+    }
+
+    cpp_access_specifier_kind convert_access(const CXCursor& cur)
+    {
+        switch (clang_getCXXAccessSpecifier(cur))
+        {
+        case CX_CXXInvalidAccessSpecifier:
+            break;
+
+        case CX_CXXPublic:
+            return cpp_public;
+        case CX_CXXProtected:
+            return cpp_protected;
+        case CX_CXXPrivate:
+            return cpp_private;
+        }
+
+        DEBUG_UNREACHABLE(detail::assert_handler{});
+        return cpp_public;
+    }
+
+    void add_access_specifier(cpp_class::builder& builder, const CXCursor& cur)
+    {
+        DEBUG_ASSERT(cur.kind == CXCursor_CXXAccessSpecifier, detail::assert_handler{});
+        builder.access_specifier(convert_access(cur));
+    }
+
+    void add_base_class(cpp_class::builder& builder, const detail::parse_context& context,
+                        const CXCursor& cur)
+    {
+        DEBUG_ASSERT(cur.kind == CXCursor_CXXBaseSpecifier, detail::assert_handler{});
+        auto access     = convert_access(cur);
+        auto is_virtual = clang_isVirtualBase(cur) != 0u;
+
+        detail::tokenizer    tokenizer(context.tu, context.file, cur);
+        detail::token_stream stream(tokenizer, cur);
+
+        // [<attribute>] [virtual] [<access>] <name>
+        // can't use spelling to get the name
+        detail::skip_attribute(stream);
+        if (is_virtual)
+            detail::skip(stream, "virtual");
+        detail::skip_if(stream, to_string(access));
+
+        std::string name;
+        while (!stream.done())
+            name += stream.get().c_str();
+
+        auto type =
+            cpp_type_ref(detail::get_entity_id(clang_getCursorReferenced(cur)), std::move(name));
+        builder.base_class(type, access, is_virtual);
+    }
+}
+
+std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> detail::parse_cpp_class(const detail::parse_context& context,
+                                                    const CXCursor&              cur)
+{
+    if (!clang_isCursorDefinition(cur))
+        return nullptr;
+    auto builder = make_class_builder(cur);
+    detail::visit_children(cur, [&](const CXCursor& child) {
+        auto kind = clang_getCursorKind(child);
+        if (kind == CXCursor_CXXAccessSpecifier)
+            add_access_specifier(builder, child);
+        else if (kind == CXCursor_CXXBaseSpecifier)
+            add_base_class(builder, context, child);
+        else if (kind == CXCursor_CXXFinalAttr)
+            builder.is_final();
+        else if (auto entity = parse_entity(context, child))
+            builder.add_child(std::move(entity));
+    });
+    return builder.finish(*context.idx, get_entity_id(cur));
+}
diff --git a/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp b/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp
index 993a0aa..4b6080e 100644
--- a/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/libclang/parse_functions.cpp
@@ -37,9 +37,12 @@ std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> detail::parse_entity(const detail::parse_context& co
     case CXCursor_TypeAliasDecl:
     case CXCursor_TypedefDecl:
         return parse_cpp_type_alias(context, cur);
-
     case CXCursor_EnumDecl:
         return parse_cpp_enum(context, cur);
+    case CXCursor_ClassDecl:
+    case CXCursor_StructDecl:
+    case CXCursor_UnionDecl:
+        return parse_cpp_class(context, cur);
 
     default:
         break;
diff --git a/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp b/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp
index 055bd81..080772f 100644
--- a/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp
+++ b/src/libclang/parse_functions.hpp
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ namespace cppast
 
         std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> parse_cpp_type_alias(const parse_context& context,
                                                          const CXCursor&      cur);
-
         std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> parse_cpp_enum(const parse_context& context,
                                                    const CXCursor&      cur);
+        std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> parse_cpp_class(const parse_context& context,
+                                                    const CXCursor&      cur);
 
         std::unique_ptr<cpp_entity> parse_entity(const parse_context& context, const CXCursor& cur);
     }
diff --git a/src/libclang/raii_wrapper.hpp b/src/libclang/raii_wrapper.hpp
index b328d66..03e2304 100644
--- a/src/libclang/raii_wrapper.hpp
+++ b/src/libclang/raii_wrapper.hpp
@@ -119,6 +119,11 @@ namespace cppast
                 return str_ ? str_.value().c_str : "";
             }
 
+            std::string std_str() const noexcept
+            {
+                return c_str();
+            }
+
             char operator[](std::size_t i) const noexcept
             {
                 return c_str()[i];
diff --git a/src/libclang/tokenizer.cpp b/src/libclang/tokenizer.cpp
index 8d51d2c..f913f6d 100644
--- a/src/libclang/tokenizer.cpp
+++ b/src/libclang/tokenizer.cpp
@@ -142,17 +142,8 @@ namespace
                 end = prev;
             }
         }
-        else if (clang_getCursorKind(cur) == CXCursor_TypeAliasDecl
-                 && !token_after_is(tu, file, cur, end, ";"))
-        {
-            // type alias tokens don't include everything
-            do
-            {
-                end = get_next_location(tu, file, end);
-            } while (!token_after_is(tu, file, cur, end, ";"));
-            end = get_next_location(tu, file, end);
-        }
-        else if (clang_isExpression(clang_getCursorKind(cur)))
+        else if (clang_isExpression(clang_getCursorKind(cur))
+                 || clang_getCursorKind(cur) == CXCursor_CXXBaseSpecifier)
             // need to shrink range by one
             end = get_next_location(tu, file, end, -1);
 
@@ -236,35 +227,46 @@ void detail::skip_brackets(detail::token_stream& stream)
     stream.set_cur(std::next(closing));
 }
 
+namespace
+{
+    bool skip_attribute_impl(detail::token_stream& stream)
+    {
+        if (skip_if(stream, "[") && stream.peek() == "[")
+        {
+            // C++11 attribute
+            // [[<attribute>]]
+            //  ^
+            skip_brackets(stream);
+            // [[<attribute>]]
+            //               ^
+            skip(stream, "]");
+            return true;
+        }
+        else if (skip_if(stream, "__attribute__"))
+        {
+            // GCC/clang attributes
+            // __attribute__(<attribute>)
+            //              ^
+            skip_brackets(stream);
+            return true;
+        }
+        else if (skip_if(stream, "__declspec"))
+        {
+            // MSVC declspec
+            // __declspec(<attribute>)
+            //           ^
+            skip_brackets(stream);
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
 bool detail::skip_attribute(detail::token_stream& stream)
 {
-    if (skip_if(stream, "[") && stream.peek() == "[")
-    {
-        // C++11 attribute
-        // [[<attribute>]]
-        //  ^
-        skip_brackets(stream);
-        // [[<attribute>]]
-        //               ^
-        skip(stream, "]");
-        return true;
-    }
-    else if (skip_if(stream, "__attribute__"))
-    {
-        // GCC/clang attributes
-        // __attribute__(<attribute>)
-        //              ^
-        skip_brackets(stream);
-        return true;
-    }
-    else if (skip_if(stream, "__declspec"))
-    {
-        // MSVC declspec
-        // __declspec(<attribute>)
-        //           ^
-        skip_brackets(stream);
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    return false;
+    auto any = false;
+    while (skip_attribute_impl(stream))
+        any = true;
+    return any;
 }
diff --git a/test/cpp_class.cpp b/test/cpp_class.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53f8f3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cpp_class.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,230 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2017 Jonathan Müller <jonathanmueller.dev@gmail.com>
+// This file is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file
+// found in the top-level directory of this distribution.
+
+#include <cppast/cpp_class.hpp>
+
+#include "test_parser.hpp"
+
+using namespace cppast;
+
+TEST_CASE("cpp_class")
+{
+    auto code = R"(
+// basic
+struct a {};
+class b final {};
+union c {};
+
+struct ignore_me;
+
+// members
+struct d
+{
+    enum m1 {};
+
+public:
+    enum m2 {};
+
+private:
+private:
+    enum m3 {};
+
+protected:
+    enum m4 {};
+};
+
+// bases
+class e
+: a, private d {};
+
+namespace ns
+{
+    struct base {};
+}
+
+struct f
+: public ns::base, virtual protected e
+{};
+
+using namespace ns;
+
+struct g
+: base {};
+)";
+
+    cpp_entity_index idx;
+    auto             file = parse(idx, "cpp_class.cpp", code);
+    auto count            = test_visit<cpp_class>(*file, [&](const cpp_class& c) {
+        if (c.name() == "a" || c.name() == "base")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::struct_t);
+            REQUIRE(!c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.bases().begin() == c.bases().end());
+            REQUIRE(c.begin() == c.end());
+        }
+        else if (c.name() == "b")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::class_t);
+            REQUIRE(c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.bases().begin() == c.bases().end());
+            REQUIRE(c.begin() == c.end());
+        }
+        else if (c.name() == "c")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::union_t);
+            REQUIRE(!c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.bases().begin() == c.bases().end());
+            REQUIRE(c.begin() == c.end());
+        }
+        else if (c.name() == "d")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::struct_t);
+            REQUIRE(!c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.bases().begin() == c.bases().end());
+
+            auto no_children = 0u;
+            for (auto& child : c)
+            {
+                switch (no_children++)
+                {
+                case 0:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "m1");
+                    break;
+                case 1:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "public");
+                    REQUIRE(child.kind() == cpp_entity_kind::access_specifier_t);
+                    REQUIRE(static_cast<const cpp_access_specifier&>(child).access_specifier()
+                            == cpp_public);
+                    break;
+                case 2:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "m2");
+                    break;
+                case 3:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "private");
+                    REQUIRE(child.kind() == cpp_entity_kind::access_specifier_t);
+                    REQUIRE(static_cast<const cpp_access_specifier&>(child).access_specifier()
+                            == cpp_private);
+                    break;
+                case 4:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "private");
+                    REQUIRE(child.kind() == cpp_entity_kind::access_specifier_t);
+                    REQUIRE(static_cast<const cpp_access_specifier&>(child).access_specifier()
+                            == cpp_private);
+                    break;
+                case 5:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "m3");
+                    break;
+                case 6:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "protected");
+                    REQUIRE(child.kind() == cpp_entity_kind::access_specifier_t);
+                    REQUIRE(static_cast<const cpp_access_specifier&>(child).access_specifier()
+                            == cpp_protected);
+                    break;
+                case 7:
+                    REQUIRE(child.name() == "m4");
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    REQUIRE(false);
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+            REQUIRE(no_children == 8u);
+        }
+        else if (c.name() == "e")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::class_t);
+            REQUIRE(!c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.begin() == c.end());
+
+            auto no_bases = 0u;
+            for (auto& base : c.bases())
+            {
+                ++no_bases;
+                if (base.name() == "a")
+                {
+                    REQUIRE(base.access_specifier() == cpp_private);
+                    REQUIRE(!base.is_virtual());
+
+                    auto entity = base.entity().get(idx);
+                    REQUIRE(entity);
+                    REQUIRE(entity.value().name() == "a");
+                }
+                else if (base.name() == "d")
+                {
+                    REQUIRE(base.access_specifier() == cpp_private);
+                    REQUIRE(!base.is_virtual());
+
+                    auto entity = base.entity().get(idx);
+                    REQUIRE(entity);
+                    REQUIRE(entity.value().name() == "d");
+                }
+                else
+                    REQUIRE(false);
+            }
+            REQUIRE(no_bases == 2u);
+        }
+        else if (c.name() == "f")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::struct_t);
+            REQUIRE(!c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.begin() == c.end());
+
+            auto no_bases = 0u;
+            for (auto& base : c.bases())
+            {
+                ++no_bases;
+                if (base.name() == "ns::base")
+                {
+                    REQUIRE(base.access_specifier() == cpp_public);
+                    REQUIRE(!base.is_virtual());
+
+                    auto entity = base.entity().get(idx);
+                    REQUIRE(entity);
+                    REQUIRE(entity.value().name() == "base");
+                    REQUIRE(full_name(entity.value()) == "ns::base");
+                }
+                else if (base.name() == "e")
+                {
+                    REQUIRE(base.access_specifier() == cpp_protected);
+                    REQUIRE(base.is_virtual());
+
+                    auto entity = base.entity().get(idx);
+                    REQUIRE(entity);
+                    REQUIRE(entity.value().name() == "e");
+                }
+                else
+                    REQUIRE(false);
+            }
+            REQUIRE(no_bases == 2u);
+        }
+        else if (c.name() == "g")
+        {
+            REQUIRE(c.class_kind() == cpp_class_kind::struct_t);
+            REQUIRE(!c.is_final());
+            REQUIRE(c.begin() == c.end());
+
+            auto no_bases = 0u;
+            for (auto& base : c.bases())
+            {
+                ++no_bases;
+                if (base.name() == "base")
+                {
+                    REQUIRE(base.access_specifier() == cpp_public);
+                    REQUIRE(!base.is_virtual());
+
+                    auto entity = base.entity().get(idx);
+                    REQUIRE(entity);
+                    REQUIRE(entity.value().name() == "base");
+                    REQUIRE(full_name(entity.value()) == "ns::base");
+                }
+                else
+                    REQUIRE(false);
+            }
+            REQUIRE(no_bases == 1u);
+        }
+        else
+            REQUIRE(false);
+    });
+    REQUIRE(count == 8u);
+}
diff --git a/test/cpp_type_alias.cpp b/test/cpp_type_alias.cpp
index 17f6b55..22d9d53 100644
--- a/test/cpp_type_alias.cpp
+++ b/test/cpp_type_alias.cpp
@@ -28,10 +28,8 @@ bool equal_types(const cpp_entity_index& idx, const cpp_type& parsed, const cpp_
         auto user_synthesized = static_cast<const cpp_user_defined_type&>(synthesized).entity();
         if (user_parsed.name() != user_synthesized.name())
             return false;
-        return true;
-        // TODO: check that the referring also works (need parsing of structs)
-        // auto entity = user_parsed.get(idx);
-        // return entity.has_value() && entity.value().name() == user_parsed.name();
+        auto entity = user_parsed.get(idx);
+        return entity.has_value() && entity.value().name() == user_parsed.name();
     }
 
     case cpp_type_kind::cv_qualified: