Freiburg: The Heart of the Black Forest
There is no region in Germany that will confirm any stereotypes (or even kitsch) you might have held more than the south, or the states of Bayern (Bavaria) or Baden-Württemberg. I have already posted about Bavaria ad nauseum, now it's only fair that we take a closer look at the southwest of Germany.
Our destination this time is Freiburg, the preeminent city of the Black Forest Region. Of course, one city, one town, one site is never enough. Freiburg, although we will dedicate plenty of ink to this fine city, is only our base from where we will hit many other places in the area, including the neighboring region of Alsace, France.
As little as I like to drive a car these days, this time around it is necessary. The drive from Frankfurt to Freiburg is about three hours, give or take a traffic jam. Once we reach Freiburg, we are astonished to learn that we can actually find parking near city center. Whoa, what is up with these people? Are they still into horses and carriages? That's an unexpected bonus we'll take any day. See also: don't look a gift cuckoo in the beak. With that in mind, we pick up our keys and drop off our luggage.
From our apartment on the Freidrichring, we head toward the Freiburg Münster, also known as the biggest church in town. The Münster itself has a 116-meter high tower, which will put most of the cathedrals with their bishops to shame in Germany. Even more remarkable than the tower is the display of stain glass windows. Nothing will grab my attention more than colored stain glass windows, even more so than the content.
From the church, we hit the Schwabentor, or the eastern gate of the town. What do you do with a 100-foot high gate with all of the Tudor/Southern German/ Black Forest charms? Luckily, this is not our decision to make. Traditionally, this area belongs to the jewelers, although the students will always have a say about what happens in Freiburg, even with the age gap. Eight centuries for the Schwabentor, two decades for the student, who's counting? Near the Schwabentor are numerous cafes and restaurants that depend on student clientele. Sorry, tourists, but you lose this one.
Next, it's time to head past the Martinstor, or the southern gate, where a McDonald's has taken up quarters in one of the most historic sites of Freiburg. That doesn't diminish the beauty of the gate or even the area one bit. Five centuries ago, you might have had an inn serving beef steaks, today it's beef on hamburger buns. In the end, it's commerce, supply and demand, that will largely dictate the makeup of any downtown.
At the Breisgau river, we take a break, even in the biting cold. We eventually make our way up the Schlossberg, the mountain that features so prominently as the city's backdrop. At the top is an observation tower that rocks in the wind, especially if you stand at the very tip of it. Time to play pirate ship with the kids. We walk past a few war memorials toward the Stadtgarten, where the kids find a playground to their liking.
A typical tourist day in Freiburg. Just the basics, Holmes, but a start for the newbie visiting Freiburg. We'll dig a little deeper in the days to come.
Our destination this time is Freiburg, the preeminent city of the Black Forest Region. Of course, one city, one town, one site is never enough. Freiburg, although we will dedicate plenty of ink to this fine city, is only our base from where we will hit many other places in the area, including the neighboring region of Alsace, France.
As little as I like to drive a car these days, this time around it is necessary. The drive from Frankfurt to Freiburg is about three hours, give or take a traffic jam. Once we reach Freiburg, we are astonished to learn that we can actually find parking near city center. Whoa, what is up with these people? Are they still into horses and carriages? That's an unexpected bonus we'll take any day. See also: don't look a gift cuckoo in the beak. With that in mind, we pick up our keys and drop off our luggage.
From our apartment on the Freidrichring, we head toward the Freiburg Münster, also known as the biggest church in town. The Münster itself has a 116-meter high tower, which will put most of the cathedrals with their bishops to shame in Germany. Even more remarkable than the tower is the display of stain glass windows. Nothing will grab my attention more than colored stain glass windows, even more so than the content.
From the church, we hit the Schwabentor, or the eastern gate of the town. What do you do with a 100-foot high gate with all of the Tudor/Southern German/ Black Forest charms? Luckily, this is not our decision to make. Traditionally, this area belongs to the jewelers, although the students will always have a say about what happens in Freiburg, even with the age gap. Eight centuries for the Schwabentor, two decades for the student, who's counting? Near the Schwabentor are numerous cafes and restaurants that depend on student clientele. Sorry, tourists, but you lose this one.
Next, it's time to head past the Martinstor, or the southern gate, where a McDonald's has taken up quarters in one of the most historic sites of Freiburg. That doesn't diminish the beauty of the gate or even the area one bit. Five centuries ago, you might have had an inn serving beef steaks, today it's beef on hamburger buns. In the end, it's commerce, supply and demand, that will largely dictate the makeup of any downtown.
At the Breisgau river, we take a break, even in the biting cold. We eventually make our way up the Schlossberg, the mountain that features so prominently as the city's backdrop. At the top is an observation tower that rocks in the wind, especially if you stand at the very tip of it. Time to play pirate ship with the kids. We walk past a few war memorials toward the Stadtgarten, where the kids find a playground to their liking.
A typical tourist day in Freiburg. Just the basics, Holmes, but a start for the newbie visiting Freiburg. We'll dig a little deeper in the days to come.
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