Freiburg's Bächle are one of the distinctive features of the historical old quarter. The water splashes and gurgles its way through the narrow streets in these tiny channels running alongside the pavements. Originally, they were probably built to supply water for everyday use and for putting out fires, or as drainage canals. Today they are a quirky attraction popular with locals and visitors alike and a great way to cool off in the summer. Superstition has it that if a visitor steps in one by accident, this will not be their last visit to Freiburg.

The 116-metre tower of this impressive red sandstone construction is clearly visible from afar and is often referred to as "the most beautiful spire in Christendom". Inside the church are a number of medieval works of art: altars, stained glass and sculptures, including many images and sculptures of the Virgin Mary to whom the minster is dedicated and the patron saints of the town, George, Lambert and Alexander.

Freiburg's old quarter is dominated by the medieval minster. Another characteristic feature are the much-loved Bächle, a system of narrow, flat channels that runs for several kilometres and is filled with water from the Dreisam river. Other attractions include a variety of beautiful ensembles and individual buildings that have been reconstructed in their original medieval style, many of them featuring decorative guild crests. Some of the town's pharmacies have a mosaic staff of Aesculapius or a mortar and pestle set into the cobbles on the pavement outside, and in front of some of the bakeries you'll see a pretzel.

The chancel roof dating from the 14th century is the oldest in Freiburg after the one on the minster. At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was extended and remodelled in the baroque style, but the friary was secularised in 1810. The Augustinium Museum opened in 1923 and houses the municipal collections including medieval sculptures and pictures, baroque art, 19th century paintings, a collection of prints and drawings, and collections of applied arts and everyday culture.

Artists such as Feininger, Dix, Heckel, Hofer, Macke, Scherer, Kanoldt, Dischinger and Scholz represent diverse schools from Expressionism to New Objectivity. Post-war abstraction is featured in the form of works by Baumeister, Schumacher, Götz, Ackermann, Geiger and others, while recent trends can be observed in works by regionally and nationally acclaimed artists.

Opening times:

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm

Among the topics dealt with are the city's founding by the House of Zähringen, monasteries and foundations, and crafts and coinage. As a preparation for a tour of the town, take a look at the model showing Freiburg in about 1600 with its medieval walls and city gates and a further model showing the town within its baroque star-shaped moated fortification in about 1700. In the salon there is a model of the cathedral construction site.

Opening times:

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm

Built as a neo-Gothic villa from 1859 to 1861, Colombischlössle contains Stone Age female statuettes, examples of metal production from the Bronze Age and treasures from royal Celtic tombs, including the oldest glass bowl to be found north of the Alps. Newly refurbished rooms display Roman achievements in skilled trades and daily and military life.

Opening times:

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm

The 'Time' and 'Earthly Riches' sections invite you on a voyage of discovery and deal with topics concerning the geological history and natural resources of the region. Three habitat areas featuring exhibits from the biological collections are also being planned. The Ethnological Collection is displayed in one-off exhibitions. Every year the traditional Easter exhibition 'From Egg to Chick' is enjoyed by young and old visitors alike.

Opening times:

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm