About Freiburg
Welcome to Freiburg
Freiburg provides a stimulating environment for the Hypervelocity Impact Symposium: Freiburg combines traditions and ecological thinking through high-tech research at worldwide renowned institutions comprised of a distinguished university, 5 Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes. The university with its large Faculty for Applied Sciences and several other R&D institutes make up about 20 percent of Freiburg’s total population of 200,000.
Naturally and beautifully landscaped, Freiburg is the sunny capital of the Black Forest. Its proximity to the French and Swiss borders makes Freiburg a culturally cosmopolitan city in the center of Europe. Freiburg is proud to welcome tens of thousands of tourists every year.
Freiburg and the southwestern part of Germany are rich with tourist highlights. Freiburg’s famous cathedral (“Münster”) and many other historically significant buildings as well as shops, restaurants and cafés invite you for a stroll. The famous “Freiburger Bächle” — the city’s tiny medieval canals — bestow a particular charm upon the beautiful city center. The daily “Münster“ market on the pebbled square surrounding the cathedral is one of the city’s many tourist attractions. The “Markthalle”, an indoor market that offers food from all over the world, is just around the corner. Numerous museums and several theaters add to Freiburg’s cultural variety. The city enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a gourmet destination: its cuisine will not leave you wanting for selection, and cellars are stocked with the finest regional wines.
Situated right in the middle of the Black Forest and close to France 
and Switzerland, Freiburg is an ideal starting point for a number of day trips. The nearby mountains “Schauinsland” and “Feldberg” as well as the Rhine Valley and its vineyards lend themselves for hiking tours. A number of impressive castles can be found in this region: for instance, Castle Rötteln near Lörrach and the “Haut Koenigsbourg” in Alsace prove interesting places for excursions. Relaxation can be enjoyed in hot spring baths like the Caracalla spa in Baden-Baden or the Vita Classica in Bad Krozingen.
Roller coasters and other attractions of the theme park “Europa Park” in close vicinity offer fun and amusement for any age group. We hope you will enjoy our Conference Tour to this remarkable place. Strasbourg, home to the European Parliament, Colmar, a picturesque Little Venice just across the French border, and Basel, with its famous museums and varied cultural life in Switzerland, are also suitable day-trip destinations.
History of Freiburg
Freiburg was chartered as a free market town in 1120. The market rights, the favorable location and the silver mines in the Black Forest soon led Freiburg to grow into a prosperous and influential city. In 1200, the construction of Freiburg's cathedral, the "Münster", was initiated. In 1368, losing patience with their quarrelsome, warring lords, the citizens of Freiburg bought themselves off and placed the city under the protection of the Habsburg family, at which point Freiburg became Austrian. In 1457, Freiburg University was founded, and the “Münster” was finally completed in 1513.
The city experienced several sieges during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), which reduced the population to 2000. The battle with the heaviest losses took place in Freiburg in 1644. The French fought against the Austrians and about 7000 soldiers were killed in the 3 days of the battle. After the Thirty Years' War, between 1697 and 1745, the control of Freiburg went back and forth between the French and the Austrian but was finally claimed by Austria. A fortress surrounding Freiburg was built by the French, but it was later completely destroyed. In 1805, Freiburg was incorporated in the newly established grand duchy of Baden by Napoleon. After this, Freiburg slowly grew again and became an economic and political centre in the southwest of Germany. It became an archbishopric in 1821.
In 1899, the University of Freiburg enrolled the first woman ever to study at a German university. The Schauinsland cable car opened in 1930 – at that time, it was the first large-cabin circulating cable car in the world.
In 1938, Freiburg’s synagogue was burnt down by the Nazis and on November 27, 1944, large parts of the city were destroyed during an air raid. The Cathedral, however, largely escaped destruction. In April 1945, Freiburg was occupied by French troops, who established a government and administration for Baden in 1946. The French troops left in 1992.
Freiburg in April
April is a great time for visiting Freiburg. Spring has just begun and the weather invites you to enjoy the beautiful countryside. Freiburg is one of the warmest cities in Germany. The average temperature of 14.8 °C and the average 174 hours of sunshine in April offer many opportunities for individual excursions. You could explore the city, enjoy hikes in the Black Forest or just catch the first rays of sunshine in one of the many street 
cafés in Freiburg. However, you should not forget waterproof clothes, because the weather can be very unstable in April. Nevertheless, independent off the weather, you can enjoy many indoor-activities in Freiburg: why not see a play at the theater or visit one of many museums or the planetarium in Freiburg? Do not miss the ancient “Münster” (Freiburg´s cathedral). For more information about Freiburg visit the official Freiburg-Website.