"Fribourg Walking Tour - Part One" Top 5 Page for this destination Fribourg Things to Do Tip by Tolik

Friendly Fribourg's tourist office is beside the station – turn right as you come out. Here you can find the city maps, plenty of booklets and souvenirs. Walk along Ave de la Gare from the train station leaving the Romanesque church on your left and 3 minutes later you will reach the grassy open Grands-Places. Here you can see one of Jean Tinguely’s famous fountains (1984). The St-Pierre street leads east to the busy Place Python passing Le Migros supermarket on St-Pierre 2, and Le Coop on St-Pierre 6 (both open Mon – Wed 8 – 19, Thu 8 – 21, Sat 8 – 16). From here turn left along steeply rising Rue St-Michel up to the atmospheric medieval Collège St-Michel (now part of the Fribourg University). Behind the collage you will find a terrace from where you can look out over the city. University sport complex on you left has free public washrooms. From the right part of the terrace ancient covered steps, the Escaliers du Collège, lead down to join the lower end of Rue de Lausanne and Place de Nova-Friburgo. It is the Bourg , the Old Town’s most historically important and prestigious district, home to the cathedral, numerous churches, the town hall and an array of mansions.
Cross the square and walk down towards the late-Gothic Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), a beautiful building dating from 1501–22, whose double exterior staircase was added in 1663. St George spears the dragon on a fountain statue dating from 1525 in the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville square in front of the Town Hall.
Fribourg’s landmark is the towering, High Gothic Cathédrale St-Nicolas, just off Place Notre-Dame. Unlike many other famous cathedrals, it has only one tower but an awesome one. Built over a church dating from the city’s foundation in 1157, the present building was begun in 1283, and took two centuries to complete. On the main portal you will see the scenes from the Last Judgement. Don’t miss the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, to the right of the door as you come in.