Reflections on Freiburg
Freiburg was an incredible city and I’m so grateful that we got to spend a few days there. Its proximity to the Black Forest, dedication to being a “biking city,” and university atmosphere made for an incredible combination resulting in a city unlike any other I have seen. As a former Bike Share employee, the bridge by our hotel intended solely for bikes, the multi-floor bike garage, and rows and rows of bikes were amazing to see. It made me realize that there is a possibility for smaller American cities to transition away from cars. In Freiburg there is an impressive ratio of about 33 cars per 100 people. This is incentivized in part, by a reduction in parking spaces, designated bike parking, and a multitude of options for bike maintenance.
Our journey from Stuttgart to Freiburg began with a trip to the open air farm that was home to many historical Black Forest homes. It was very interesting to learn about the way people in the Black Forest used the wood and water from the forest to keep themselves alive, clean, and healthy. Even in medieval times, they somehow understood the value of drinking and bathing water, while also being sustainable with the limited materials they had available. Gardens were not for decor but for food and houses were designed to maximize heat through the kitchen. Their heating and cooling systems could unfortunately lead to fires, but their innovation kept them warm in harsh winters. The most memorable moment of the visit for me was the grain mill that had been in operation for hundreds of years. To watch it mill the grain and come out with a flour without electricity, only water and mechanics, was amazing.
From there, the city of Freiburg kept surprising me. We had a wonderful time at Seepark and it made me reflect on how little access to public lakes I had growing up in New York City. Rarely was there any space to cool off in the water, and those that were not pools were incredibly polluted. At Seepark, there was a large public crowd and a huge surface area, and yet, people respected the water, kept it clean, and the city has probably invested time and money in it as well.
On our city tour, we learned about the streams running through the city which once served as bathing water and a place to clean off. I had never seen anything like it and it reminded me of the water system they once had in the Black Forest.
Additionally, there was also cool public art, dancing, an accessible public transport system, and lots of liveliness in Freiburg. I thoroughly enjoyed the city and hope to someday go back.
