5 Essentials: what to see and do in Freiburg (Switzerland) in 1 day

When planning a tourist trip through Switzerland, you should definitely include the small medieval city of Freiburg, which is located in a bordering region with a bilingual population of German and French speakers.

This is a facet of the very prominent University City what is the current Freiburg, SwitzerlandWell, indeed, we must remember that in Germany there is another city with the same name.

But besides his character bilingual, this city is going to show you two faces well differentiated.

On the one hand, the Freiburg located at the top of a hill, and on the other, the one that extends along the banks of the saane river (sarin in French).

Freiburg It is located 140 kilometers northeast of Geneva, after passing Lausanne, but you can also get there from Zurich in just under two hours by road.

In a mid-mountain landscape environment, immersed in lush forests, Freiburg It was created in 1157 as a fortified city on a hill from which you can see the winding valley through which the aforementioned river runs. Sarine River.

What to see in Freiburg

But when you arrive in Freiburg by trainAt first you find the most modern area of ​​the city, located at the top of a hill, and in which the university buildings have a great role.

As you begin to walk through this area, the street signs remind you that, as I have mentioned, you are in one of the bilingual cities (German and French) Switzerland.

They tell us that originally in Freiburg German was spoken, but from 1450, with the arrival of the Savoy, French began to be introduced as a second language.

In fact, in 1481 it became the first French-speaking canton to join the Swiss Confederation.

Currently, the French-speaking population is the majority, and almost triples that of the German-speaking population.

St. Nicholas Cathedral in Freiburg

In this upper area of ​​the city, the main monument is the saint nicholas cathedral, built since the end of the 13th century in Gothic style.

Its distinctive element is its high tower of more than 70 meters and 368 steps, and inside the style stained glass windows will catch your attention. art nouveau made by a Polish artist during the first third of the 20th century.

Medieval fountains in Freiburg

From the first moment of your Freiburg visit you should pay attention to the numerous medieval fonts that are distributed throughout the squares of the different neighborhoods of the city.

These fountains show various styles, among which the Renaissance stands out, and stopping in front of them to enjoy their charm will be a continuous invitation during your stay. walk through Freiburg.

Eg St. George Fountain You will find it in a beautiful monumental environment, in a small square very close to the Freiburg Cathedral.

From 1525, the fountain is a transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance style, and in the sculpture that culminates the column you can see represented San Jorge slaying the dragon

La Fountain of Courage It is the first known in Freiburg, dating back to 1394.

The sculpture shows a bearded man covered by a breastplate, and at his feet, a lion; you find it in neighborhood of Eye, in its main square, on the banks of the Sarine River, Along the Bern medieval bridge.

In the same neighborhood you have the Fountain of the Samaritan Woman, which is known to have been initially built in wood, between 1402 and 1404.

The fountain that you can now see is a work in the Renaissance style, from 1551.

The sculpture that culminates it shows Christ and the Samaritan woman.

It also highlights the Fountain of Loyalty,  which dates back to 1404, although currently you will see a group of sculptures, as well as the column and the fountain, from the late XNUMXth century.

Finally, other Freiburg fountains with religious or biblical denominations are the Fountain of the Virgin Mary, Samson Fountain, St. Anne's Fountain or the Baptist Fountain.

Medieval Auge district in Freiburg

Precisely this Auge neighborhood is the one that shows you the other side of Freiburg, that of a small medieval city.

You arrive there from the cathedral on a walk that becomes a descent through several narrow and steep streets that lead you towards the river.

Upon arriving at Eye, also known as the lower city, I warn you that you will have the feeling of finding yourself in a small town, with its half-timbered houses and even the remains of a fortification.

In fact, Eye Originally it was a small town that over time became absorbed by the municipality of Freiburg.

This town dates back to the 12th century when it was outside the walls of freiburg, and today it is the oldest area of ​​this Swiss city and, from my point of view, the most charming.

There you will find an environment with Gothic-style houses, with their painted facades, and among which small hotels stand out.

Bern Bridge in Freiburg

La Little San Juan Square It is a central point of the neighborhood, and from there you reach the oldest surviving bridge in Freiburg; I mean the wooden covered bridge known as Bern Bridge, which dates back to the year 1270.

If you take the street that takes you northeast, you will reach the Bern gate, corresponding to the old wall, and if you go southeast, you will pass under the modern Gotteron Bridge, which crosses the valley 60 meters above your head.

Then, walking through the Planche neighborhood, and after crossing the river again, you will reach another of the Freiburg icon places, its historic funicular.

Freiburg Funicular

Built in 1899, the Freiburg funicular It was installed to bridge the large gap between the lower city that extends along the river, and the most modern area of ​​the city.

When you get on this wooden funicular You should know that it works with a curious system of counterbalancing the city's wastewater, each car storing up to 3.000 liters.

Finally, when you arrive at the upper station of the funicular, you find a viewpoint from where you will have what are undoubtedly the best panoramic views of Freiburg, and where you can appreciate its two faces again.

More information about Freiburg in Switzerland

- The Best Photos of Freiburg in Switzerland

- Freiburg Tourism Official Website

- Freiburg Funicular

How to get to Freiburg

Freiburg It is half an hour away by car south from Bern already an hour and a half north from Geneva.