Freiburg im Breisgau, University town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Freiburg im Breisgau is a large town in southwestern Baden-Württemberg, close to the borders with France and Switzerland. The old center preserves medieval houses, narrow lanes paved with cobblestones, and the Gothic cathedral with its tall spire rising above the rooftops.
A duke from the Zähringen family founded the settlement in the 12th century and granted it town rights modeled on Cologne. Later, a castle on the nearby hill served as the ducal residence.
Locals call their town the ecological capital, and many residents prefer bicycles or trams for everyday trips through the streets. Weekly markets bring vendors selling regional produce and bread, while pubs around the cathedral square fill with students and neighbors each evening.
The town lies on the A5 highway and offers direct train connections to Basel, Strasbourg, and Frankfurt, plus regular buses to the nearby Basel airport. Bike paths cross the entire urban area and make short trips without a car easy.
Small water channels called Bächle flow through the lanes of the old town and once supplied water and helped prevent fires. On hot summer days, visitors cool their feet in the shallow channels, and an old tale claims that anyone who steps in will return.
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