I’ve been to Freiburg and I’ll explain why it’s worth visiting this gothic gem hidden in the Black Forest that will make you feel like you’re in a fairy tale

There are places in Europe capable of preserving the dust and magic of the centuries intact, revealing unexpected wonders at every step. Setting foot for the first time in Freiburg im Breisgau, nestled on the edge of the splendid Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, we immediately realized we were faced with a true Gothic jewel off the beaten track.

With just over 200 thousand inhabitants and a lively and welcoming atmosphere, this city nestled on the banks of the Dreisam river has won us over with its thousand-year history and its characteristic medieval face. We let ourselves be guided not by traditional guides, but by the tangible beauty of its most iconic buildings: a visual and exciting itinerary among red sandstone spiers, historic doors and squares full of memories.

From the neo-Gothic Johanneskirche to the ancient charm of the Martinstor

Equipped with comfortable shoes and unfortunately accompanied by less than encouraging weather, we began our exploration in front of the majestic Johanneskirche, the splendid neo-Gothic Catholic church located in the Wiehre district, opened at the end of the 19th century in 1899 and immediately recognizable for its red sandstone structure.

Moving towards the beating heart of the city along the lively Kaiser-Joseph-Straße, we found ourselves in front of the Martinstor (St. Martin’s Gate), the oldest surviving medieval gate in Freiburg, the access bulwark of the medieval city walls. Built around 1202, it offers postcard photos thanks to the passage inside the characteristic red trams of the city network.

The Cathedral of Our Lady with the dizzying height of its bell tower

Continuing on foot, we came across the Cathedral of Our Lady (Freiburger Münster), whose construction began around 1200 at the behest of the Dukes of Zähringen, developing over the centuries through different stylistic phases that testify to the transition from Romanesque to triumphal German Gothic. Unlike many other large European cathedrals that survived amidst a thousand difficulties, this architectural masterpiece has retained much of its original medieval structure.

But the real vertical emotion comes in front of the 116 meter high bell tower which houses 19 bells, including the historic Hosanna dating back to 1258 and weighing approximately 3.29 tons, one of the oldest bells in Germany. The bell tower – which miraculously survived the bombings of the Second World War intact – dominates the historic center and stands out above it, visible even from afar: from the top of its 333 steps, for those who do not suffer from vertigo the gaze sweeps dizzily over the city and the Black Forest.

Crossing the threshold of the religious building, you are immediately struck by the warm and iridescent hue of its red sandstone façade, a material extracted from local quarries which gives the church a unique and unmistakable appearance under the sunlight. The gaze is immediately captured by its extraordinary central nave in Gothic style, characterized by tall stone columns that push the structure upwards and by the suggestive suspended crucifix that embellishes the sacred space.

The Haus der Freiburger Zeitung and the magnificence of the Neues Rathaus

Continuing to explore the urban fabric, our attention was captured in the foreground by the historic Haus der Freiburger Zeitung, a magnificent red sandstone building embellished with a Renaissance façade and a half-timbered pediment, famous for having been the historic headquarters of the local newspaper and later of the Badische Zeitung.

Then reaching the picturesque Rathausplatz, we stopped to admire the facade of the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall): a historic building characterized by neo-Renaissance architecture with light walls and dark stone decorations, dominated in the center by a characteristic turret with a green copper roof and a golden clock, while a flag proudly flies on the main balcony.

The Schwabentor and the timeless welcome of the historic Hotel Zum Roten Bären

Our journey through the wonders of Freiburg could only end in front of the magnificent Schwabentor (Swabian Gate), one of the surviving and fascinating medieval gates of the city dating back to the mid-13th century and also crossed by trams.

Immediately next door, embellishing the setting of this unmissable glimpse, stands the characteristic decorated façade of the historic Hotel Zum Roten Bären, the oldest hotel in Germany. Leaving Freiburg gave us the awareness of having kept in our backpack one of the most fascinating, multifaceted and surprising destinations in the Black Forest. If you are looking for a place capable of surprising you far from mass tourism, pack your bags: Freiburg awaits you to give you emotions that you will not easily forget.