Happy 888th Birthday Freiburg!

I was reading in the newspaper yesterday and came across an article stating that 2008 is the city of Freiburg's 888th birthday as a recognized city! WOW! I knew Freiburg is an old city, but I had forgotten how old - that Freiburg was founded in 1120! You can read a bit more on the events of that year at this Wiki site (notice the mention of Freiburg im Breisgau under the 'events' heading). You can also read more about the city itself here.

1120 was also the year that the Gothic cathedral (Münster) of Freiburg was first started. It was built in 3 stages - 1st phase started in 1120, 2nd phase in 1210 and the 3rd and last phase started in 1230, finally being completed in 1330! (Read more about the Münster here). And it still stands today (well, at least the original foundation - the rest has been remodeled, renovated over the centuries). It is the centerpiece of the city, rising 116m / 380 feet above the city center. In fact, on a clear day, you can pretty much see the Münster from almost anywhere in Freiburg. And we've had the privilege and joy of living in this beautiful city since 1997 - it truly has been home for us over thse past years.