Freiburg bächle

The Freiburg Bächle are small canals in the Black Forest city of Freiburg. They are supplied with water by the Dreisam river and can be seen along most streets and alleyways in the old city, being one of the city's most famous landmarks. The word "Bächle" comes from the German "Bach", meaning stream, with the Alemannic diminutive ending "-le".

History

First documented in the 13th century, the Bächle today loved by children and tourists alike used to serve as water supply and helped against fires. In the 19th century, however, the Bächle were seen as obsolete and were mostly covered with iron plates. The Bächle were seen by many (among them ADAC) as a traffic hazard due to their original location in the middle of the road, so they were consequently moved to the wayside. In 1973 the city centre was turned into a car-free zone and since then Freiburg has remained largely a car-free city, so the Bächle no longer pose a significant traffic inconvenience. Furthermore, parts of the Bächle actually flow next to the tram tracks.

It is local superstition that if you accidentally step in the Bächle, you will marry a Freiburger.