Fribourg Tourist Attractions
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Fribourg (in German Freiburg), capital of the canton of the same name, is the great stronghold of Catholicism in Switzerland, seat of the Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg and of a Catholic University. One of the finest old medieval towns in Switzerland, it lies on the River Sarine (German Saane), which flows in a deep valley through the Mittelland. The Auge and Bourg quarters leading to the upper town are picturesquely situated, like Berne, above the rocky banks of a bend in the river; in the lower town are the districts of Neuveville on the left bank and Planche on the right bank. Fribourg was founded by Duke Berchtold IV of Zähringen in 1157 and joined the Confederation in 1481.
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Neuveville
In Neuveville (Fribourg's lower town), are two attractive fountains - in Place du Perthuis (alt. 553 m/1,814ft; funicular to upper town) the Fontaine du Sauvage (1627), and at the end of Rue de la Neuveville the Fontaine de la Prudence (1550); Gothic house fronts.
Auge
Auge is an old-world quarter of Fribourg located on a peninsula in the bend of the Sarine. It has some fine 16th C. fountains among its attractions.
Augustinian Convent
The Augustinian convent in Auge with a church dedicated to St Mauritius, dates from the 13th C. but was rebuilt in the 16th and 18th C. The conventual buildings now house the Cantonal Archives, with more than 30,000 parchment documents, the oldest dating from 928.
Place des Forgerons
From Auge a covered wooden bridge, the Pont de Berne (1580), leads to the Place des Forgerons, on the right bank of the Sarine, with the Fontaine de la Fidélité (by Hans Gieng, 1553). To the north are the Porte de Berne (13th-14th C., restored 1660), the Tour des Chats (1383) and the Tour Rouge (1250).
Planche
In the Planche area of the lower town of Fribourg, on the right bank of the Sarine, is the church of St-Jean (1529; later enlarged). Above Planche are the Couvent de Montorge and two chapels. Southwest of Planche, on the Banks of the Sarine, is the Couvent de la Maigrauge, a Cistercian nunnery with a church built before 1300.
Festivals
Rencontres Folkloriques Internationales
This highly-acclaimed festival takes place in late August and usually lasts for five days.The festival brings together folk musicians and dancers from around the world and also includes traditional trades fairs and expositions.
Fribourg Festival
This annual day-long festival takes place in early September.
Map of Fribourg Attractions
Map - Fribourg
