Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg was founded in the 12th century as a free market town, hence its name. This town was strategically located at a junction of trade routes between the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea areas, and the Rhine and Danube rivers. The silver mines in nearby Mount Schauinsland provided an important source of capital for Freiburg. This silver made Freiburg one of the richest cities in Europe, and in 1327 Freiburg minted its own coin, the Rappenpfennig. At the end of the 14th century, the veins of silver were dwindling and by 1460, only around 6,000 people still lived within Freiburg''s city walls. A university city, Freiburg evolved from its focus on mining to become a cultural center for the arts and sciences.

Dromos