Freiburg Bächle
Bächle
Medieval water channels that run alongside the streets of the Old Town. Legend says that anyone who accidentally steps into one will marry a Freiburg girl.
Bächle are open-air water channels built from the 13th century onward. They carry water from the Dreisam River through the lanes and streets of the Old Town, about 15 km in total. Originally they served firefighting and watering livestock. Today they are Freiburg’s most recognizable street feature. In summer, children float small wooden boats along the channels and run beside them, and visitors often sit on the edges to dip their feet. A local saying goes, “Whoever steps into a Bächle will marry a Freiburger.” Watch your step as you walk. The channels are about 30–50 cm wide and easy to misstep into at night. The coordinates point to the area around Marktgasse.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Martinstor
- Fischerau & Gerberau
- Rathausplatz Freiburg
- Augustinermuseum
- Münsterplatz Market
- Freiburg Minster
- Schwabentor
- Schlossberg Freiburg