Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Freiburg im Breisgau is a major university city in southwestern Germany's Baden-Württemberg state, home to approximately 235,000 residents. Founded in 1120 by the Dukes of Zähringen, the city developed as a regional trade hub at the edge of the Black Forest. The historic center features the Freiburg Minster, a 116-metre red sandstone cathedral that survived destruction during World War II. Small paved water gutters called Bächle run alongside pedestrian streets throughout the old town. Visitors explore solar-powered green districts, sample regional Baden wines, and ride the Schlossberg funicular railway for Black Forest viewpoints.