Bertoldsbrunnen (Bertold's Fountain)

Anyone looking for a classic fountain with gargoyles and a large basin at the famous "Berti", as the people of Freiburg affectionately call it, will be puzzled at first.

In everyday life, the Bertoldsbrunnen is actually more of a place name than a monument. Here, at the intersection of the Kaiser-Joseph-Straße shopping street and Salzstraße, several streetcar lines have their central intersection. This is probably why the "Berti" is the number one meeting point and busier than almost any other place in Freiburg.

Anyone who manages to cross the street between streetcars, visitors and Freiburg residents will find a limestone plinth around four meters high, crowned with an abstract bronze equestrian statue. The monument, dedicated to the Dukes of Zähringen and named after the city's founder, Duke Bertold, stands in a narrow, shallow pool of water. It was inaugurated in 1965 and replaces the fish fountain that was destroyed during the Second World War.

"See you at Berti at 6 pm!" But don't forget to also specify the exact side, e.g. "Ecke LA" - you'll quickly find your date at the Löwenapotheke, abbreviated in this way, in the hustle and bustle of the "Berti"!

Author: Nicole Bee