The Fabled Black Forest
The name “Schwarzwald” was quite accurate in earlier times when the dense forest around Freiburg was impenetrable. The traditional cuckoo-clock and the Black Forest cake made with tasty cherry schnapps have helped make the region famous all around the world.
Healthy Living
Freiburg, also called the “California of Germany”, is the sunniest and warmest city in Germany. The average high in July is 78°F. Freiburg is situated in the heart of a major wine-growing region. No other major town has so many vineyards within its boundaries.
Germany’s Green Capital
Freiburg calls itself a birth place of the environmental protection movement. The successful campaign against a proposed nearby nuclear power station in the 1970s was one of the founding moments of the Green Alternative movement. Today Freiburg is considered one of the world’s greenest cities. Photovoltaic panels have been introduced everywhere, from the sides of renovated apartment buildings to the roof of the soccer stadium.
Who Needs a Car?
Freiburg was rebuilt almost completely after the Second World War, with a large traffic-free downtown and a 2,000 mile network of light rails, buses and urban railways. Up to 35% of Freiburg’s residents have chosen to live without a car. A third of all trips are by bike.
Studying with the Stars
The university of Freiburg is the fifth-oldest university in Germany. It has been home to some of the greatest minds of the Western tradition such as Max Weber, Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger and numerous Nobel Prize winners. Today Freiburg University is one of Europe’s top research and teaching institutions.
Watch Your Step
Running down most of the lanes in the old town are “Bächle”, small canals with fresh, clean water. Some 700 years ago, these rivulets were introduced for fire fighting and for use as sewers. Today the canals are a popular play area for adults and children alike. But watch out. It is said that visitors who come to Freiburg and who step into one of the canals have not visited Freiburg for the last time.
The Man in Charge
Joachim Löw, coach of Germany’s national soccer team, makes Freiburg his home. He started his playing career with the local team, the SC Freiburg of Germany’s Bundesliga. With a very impressive record in charge of the national team including winning the 2014 World Cup “Jogi” Löw has established himself as one of the world’s great coaches.
Top Soccer from the Hinterland
SC Freiburg has shown some incredible resilience over the past two decades. The club has been relegated numerous times into the second league since first making the Bundesliga – and the team keeps winning promotion back to the top league. The club’s greatest success was reaching the European team competition “UEFA Cup” in 1995 and 2001 and qualifying for the Europa League in 2013.