Anyway, early Friday morning I arrived in Freiburg.
Lauren wasn't going to get in for another few hours, so I figured I would do some preliminary exploration to ensure efficient use of time when Lauren did arrive. I admittedly did very little reading up on Freiburg before arriving since I was rather preoccupied with getting everything settled post break-in, so I figured the best place to start would be tourist information. I got directions to the city center - about a ten minute walk straight out the main door of the train station - and after strolling through a somewhat more modern and not particularly noteworthy part of the city I came to a cobbled street that opened up onto Rathaus Platz, where the Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall) stands.
Freiburg actually has a pretty fascinating history (which ironically involves Strasbourg, the city Lauren and I were headed to later that evening, and the Hapsburgs). Aside: it's okay, you can tune out quickly if you're not enthralled by townspeople murdering a bishop. Just make your way down to the next paragraph... So, where was I? Right, Freiburg. Founded in 1120 as a free market town (Frei = free and Burg = castle, though can also refer to a fortified town), its population multiplied to 6,000 people by 1200. Life was good, the citizens had their rights, they were relatively well off, and began construction of a Romanesque-turned-Gothic cathedral. Alas, their duke died in 1218 and some nearby counts pulled Freiburg into their reign. Unfortunately a storm cloud started brewing on the horizon and by the end of the 13th century it had blown over Freiburg and was ready to unleash havoc. The lord at the time, Count Egino II, raised taxes and attempted to limit the peoples' freedom, so they utterly destroyed his castle with catapults. Not surprisingly, the count was enraged and sought the help of his brother-in-law, the Bishop of Strasbourg. Said bishop marched his army into Freiburg but was then stabbed to death by a local butcher by the name of Hauri on July 29th, 1299. It was a short-lived victory for the citizens, however, since they had to pay 300 marks annually to the count for the next 69 years. They then got fed up and purchased their independence and turned themselves over to the rule and protection of the Hapsburgs. A lot has happened in the past six hundred and forty three years, but I think that 250 year period was the most interesting. So ends your history lesson for today.
Next to the Rathaus I spied with my little eye the tourist information center I was looking for and gathered my information before setting off. I took the scenic route to the cathedral, Freiburger Münster, passing such noteworthy places as the "Kartoffel Markt" (the Potato Market square). Most of the squares had Christmas market stalls in the midst of being set up, but none were actually open yet. At long last (okay, more like fifteen minutes later), I turned a corner to behold the Münster spire beckoning me down the narrow cobbled street.
As I neared the massive red sandstone cathedral I saw that there was a famers market filling the square. I was a little surprised that most of the stalls were selling flowers and plants, but it created a really pleasant aroma as it mixed with the scent of roasting chestnuts.
I meandered through the stalls, stopping to further investigate some of the ones that boasted wooden carvings, and had a few brief chats with some of the merchants. I was particularly taken with one stall and the woman working there was very friendly and informative. I considered buying a piece or two, but decided to at least wait and see what else I might come across. After all, I'd only been in Freiburg for an hour.
After poking around in the market a bit more I continued on through other parts of the old town. Günter had recommended that I find a bakery near Martinstor, one of the original gates into the city, that he really liked, so I decided that would be my next destination. I journeyed the five blocks or so with relative ease despite having to dodge some horse-pulled wagons in the narrow cobbled lanes
Notice the gutter, or Bächle, running along the side. These gurgled quaintly throughout the streets and folklore says if you tread or fall in one then you will marry a Freiburger, or 'Bobbele'.
and found the shop exactly where Günter said it would be: three storefronts in from the gate and on the right. I refrained from going in at the moment, waiting instead until Lauren could indulge with me, although the smells of fresh bread and würst that were wafting through that farmers market had whet my appetite.
After a bit more wandering down narrow alleys I wound my way back to the cathedral to linger there for a few more minutes before going back to the train station to meet Lauren. It was about all I could do to keep from getting a light snack since I figured Lauren would be hungry too, but about then she texted me to say she would be about an hour late due to a train that didn't get in on time. Unfortunately the farmers market was closing up, so I went inside the cathedral. I was drawn in by a slightly eerie booming that was rolling out of the doors and almost seemed to reverberate inside of me, and I didn't comprehend what it was until I stepped across the threshold of the entranceway. Someone was playing the organ. Well, practicing, really, but I've never heard someone practicing the organ, ever. It was really nice relaxing in the pews with my own semi-private organ performance (there were very few others in there), but eventually I had to go collect Lauren.
I found her at the train station with no problems, and after dropping off her bag in a locker we meandered back to the old town. We were both pretty hungry by that time, so I took her back to the Münster in the hopes that one of the würst stands would still be open, and we were in luck. We each had a weißwurst (white bratwurst) sandwich, then continued on to the bakery that Günter had recommended near Martinstor.
Martinstor
It turned out to be a very good suggestion and we split a slice of chocolate cake and a pastry. Then we took the scenic route back to the Münster and climbed the spire which afforded us a really nice view of the city and surrounding hillsides, still vibrantly colored with the changing leaves.
The cathedral was started in 1200 but the spire wasn't completed until 1330. There were a lot of names and old dates carved into the sandstone which were really interesting to look at. The oldest that I saw dated from the 16th century; it's fun to imagine someone else standing in that exact same spot looking out across the same hills almost five hundred years ago. I wonder how old a lot of the houses are, anyway. I know the half-timbered (fachwerkhäuser) structure was around long before the 1500s, but I'm not sure how big the town was then. Presumably it didn't really extend beyond the city wall (you can see part of the boundary at Martinstor in the picture, the white tower sticking up in the middle distance).
We went inside the Münster afterwards. Unfortunately the organ practice had stopped and there were more people milling about, but it was still nice. The stained glass was particularly interesting. At the western end of each side aisle there was an offset rose window which was partially cut-off. But the colors were spectacular!
There was another window that caught my attention on the right side nearest the apse. The depiction crosses the traditional boundaries to create a larger scene at the top. And, again, beautiful coloration! I also learned that the really deep red in some of the windows is not from a dye, but actually made with a suspension of solid gold nano particles, much like in crystal making or glass blowing.
I just can't help it; I'm a sucker for these things! Okay, one more interior cathedral picture, then I'm done, I swear!
It's a little difficult to tell here, but the window in the middle was also interesting in that it was all white and very pale colors.
There was also some really intricate wooden carving above the main door of the western façade (which was outside the cathedral, so I haven't really broken my promise!)
Afterwards Lauren and I wandered a little more, then stopped in at a neat café somewhere near Augustinerplatz and warmed our hands and stomachs for a bit. Then we headed off to find somewhere to get an early dinner before catching the train to Strasbourg, France.
I had gotten a few recommendations for some local cuisine when I went in to the tourist information office, and we thought that we had found one of them called Erzherzog Albrecht in a side street near the Rathaus, although I realized as we left and came to an intersection that I recognized that we weren't quite where I had thought we were. It was just as well, though, because the meal turned out to be really good and was very reasonably priced.
Then back to the train station and off to Strasbourg for the night. I enjoyed Freiburg, though; I'm really glad that we stopped off there even just for part of a day. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Lauren made a new friend! (Plus some other random photos.)
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