For this travel tips post I‘m taking you to Freiburg im Breisgau in Germany. This city is very dear and personal to me, as it has been my home town for 7 years, right after I left Portugal.
DIS TRACT: FREIBURG, GER
The city is located in the central part of the famous German mountain range of the Black Forest. Here you will find a bazillion of cathedrals and the post card-like, typical German architecture that you came here for. While not the largest, Freiburg is definitely one of the top and most beautiful cities to visit in Germany, especially with its small winding streets (“Gässle”) and the famous little streams (“Bächle”). Much of the city was bombed during the second World War, with a lucky exception: The cathedral was spared from disaster and so today, we are able to visit the over 800 year-old structure. If you would like to experience Freiburg to, I recommend taking this guided tour*.
Let’s get started by visiting the city center:
1) The Münster
The Münster is the cathedral of Freiburg. It was built in the Romanesque style and later underwent changes in the Gothic style. Noteworthy is its tower, and the interior of the cathedral, where you should pay special attention to the stained glass windows that were removed from the cathedral and therefore saved, right before the bombing of Freiburg.
2) Martin's Gate
This is one of the entrances to the city that luckily survived until today. In the past, the city had 4 entrances in this style, however only two have withstanded the passage of time.
3) Schwaben Gate
Here is the second remaining entrance to the city, where you can also spot paintings on the tower, which have survived until today. The tower that is seen today is already very altered compared to its original appearance.
4) Münster Square
Here are some of the buildings that survived the war, but also those that were very well restored after their destruction. The set of buildings is worth observing, especially the building of the former Kaufhaus, ordered to be built by the House of Habsburg.
5) Old & New City Hall
The two municipal chambers are also worth visiting. One right next to the other, it is in this same square where a part of the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) is held every year (let‘s not talk about 2020).
6) Castle Mountain
One of the most worthwhile places to see in Freiburg is the castle mountain (Schlossberg). The castle of the counts of Zähring used to be here. Unfortunately, there are not too many traces of the building that has been lost over the years. It is in this castle where the city of Freiburg was born. The inhabitants were free of taxes and other rules common at the time, hence the name of the city: Freie Bürger = free citizens. Anyway, the view over the city from here is impressive.
7) See Park
Seepark is a park where you can stroll and enjoy the sunny days (Freiburg is known as the sunniest and warmest city in Germany). A curiosity is the fact this park was built on top of the ruins and rubble after the city was bombed in the great war.
8) Wiwili Bridge
Enjoy the late afternoon on the arches of the bridge and observe the landscape with a bottle of German beer in your hands. I lost count of the times I‘ve done it.
9) KaJo
Kaiser Joseph Straße is the main avenue in the city, and the ideal place for shopping. Take advantage of this avenue that is closed to vehicles, because of course Freiburg puts a lot of pride in being a green city.
10) Church of St. John
Visit this church in neo-Gothic style. It stands out in the landscape in the city and it has an interior that is worth a visit, regardless of your religion.
If you’re like me, then you also want to see Freiburg now, and as I said before, your easiest option is to take the guided tour linked here*. A lot of things have been told the city in this post, and a lot of things I had to leave out, but they will have a special place in the next post about what to see and do in and around Freiburg. Let’s talk about Europapark, Titisee and more.
Talk to you soon!
