Freiburg Old Town

The old town of Freiburg im Breisgau is one of the most charming city centers in southern Germany, set at the edge of the Black Forest. Its lanes are crowned by the Gothic Freiburg Minster and laced with the famous Bächle, small water channels running along the streets. More than three million people visit this compact quarter every year, drawn by its market, medieval gates, student life, and warm, sunny climate.

A short history

The Zähringen dukes granted Freiburg market and town rights in 1120, and their planned street grid still shapes the old town. Work on the minster began around 1200, and the university was founded in 1457. On November 27, 1944, an air raid destroyed much of the old town, but the minster tower survived. Postwar rebuilding followed the historic street plan, which is why the center still feels medieval today.

Top things to do in Freiburg's old town

• Freiburg Minster: Its 116-meter (381-foot) west tower was completed around 1330. Art historian Jacob Burckhardt famously suggested it might remain the most beautiful tower on Earth. A viewing platform sits about 70 meters up.
• Münsterplatz market: From Monday to Saturday, a farmers' market surrounds the minster in the mornings. Try a "Lange Rote," Freiburg's signature long red sausage, and admire the arcaded red Historic Merchants' Hall.
• Rathausplatz: The Old and New Town Halls and St. Martin's Church frame this lovely square, home to the tourist information office.
• Martinstor and Schwabentor: two surviving medieval city gates; trams run straight through the Martinstor.
• The Bächle: a 15.9-kilometer network of water channels fed by the Dreisam River. Local legend says that if you accidentally step into one, you will marry someone from Freiburg.
• Insel and Gerberau: the old fishermen's and tanners' quarter, now full of small shops and cafés.

Watch the sidewalks, too: pebble mosaics in front of many shops show what is, or once was, sold inside.

How to get to Freiburg

Freiburg sits in southwestern Germany near the French and Swiss borders. ICE trains take about 45 minutes from Basel and around two hours from Frankfurt; EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is the closest international airport. From Freiburg Hauptbahnhof, the minster is a 10- to 15-minute walk, or take a tram to Bertoldsbrunnen in the heart of the old town. Regional trains accept the Deutschlandticket. Prices are in euros (EUR).

Planning your visit

Allow two to three hours for a first walk, or a full day if you climb the minster tower, visit the Augustinermuseum, and ride the Schlossbergbahn funicular up the Schlossberg for a panoramic view. Several companies run daily public walking tours from Rathausplatz; ask at the tourist office about English options. Spring through fall is ideal, and the Christmas market fills the area around the town hall in Advent.

Is it worth visiting?

Absolutely. Freiburg's old town is compact, walkable, and full of character, and it makes a perfect base for day trips into the Black Forest. Kids love floating little wooden boats in the Bächle, while cobblestones and open channels call for some care with strollers and wheelchairs.

Nearby

• Schlossberg: a hill above the old town with an observation tower.
• Schauinsland: Freiburg's local mountain in the Black Forest, reached by cable car.
• Kaiserstuhl: a volcanic wine region west of the city.