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Pays
de Fribourg - Freiburgerland |
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Fribourg,
proud and respectful of its nature and its past
The Canton
of Fribourg, which joined the Swiss Confederation in 1481, is
located in the western part of the country between the Alps and
lakes, on the border of the French and German linguistic regions,
at equal distance between Zürich and Geneva, 34km southwest
of Bern, capital of the country.
Its territory
extends over 1,670 km2 from Mont Vully to the
heart of the Prealps with altitudes varying between 432 meters
(Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Morat) and 2,389 meters (Vanil
Noir).
The canton
covers an area of 1,670 sq. km and its population is about
235,000 inhabitants (including 32,900 foreign residents) on January
1, 2000.
It is
divided in seven districts:Broye (Estavayer-le-Lac), Glâne
(Romont), Gruyère (Bulle), Lac (Morat), Sarine (Fribourg,
capital of the canton), Sense (Tafers) and Veveyse (Châtel-St-Denis).
With
its irregular borders that demarcate a varied and attractive
countryside, Fribourg offers a composite picture of Switzerland.
The prairies and pastures, lakes and rivers, fields and forests,
cities and villages provided a scenic habitat for men and women
of different creeds and cultures.
The combination
of different linguistic and religious backgrounds sometimes gives
the impression of an incoherent history. However, the reason
for this mingling of cultures stems from the geographic position
of the Canton, which for a long time served as the crossroads
of many confrontations. The migrations, wars and political regimes
which have colored its history forged in this region a people
who has known how to retain customs and traditions. |
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The capital
city Fribourg, which bears the name of the Canton, is proud of
its rich past, signs of which are ever present in its old streets
and decorative fountains, its renowned university as well as
its modern sections.
On the
left, an old painting with the Fontaine de la Fidelité
et Pont du Gotteron. |
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Along
the banks of the serpentine Sarine are found urban and rural
life styles. Upriver, about 30 km
away from Fribourg city, lies Gruyère with Bulle as its
administrative center. In Gruyères local traditions recall
the heroic deeds of lords and revolutionaries. The region is
famous for its regional cheese. |
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Also
in the Gruyère region is the Moléson mountains
(34km from Fribourg city), a modern winter and summer sport resort,
with a funicular and a cable car. Next to it is the Glâne,
a region of grassy prairies dominated by the town of Romont (the
rounded mountain). Two noble dwellings in the region, a castle
at Romont and a Manor at Rue, decorate its landscape. |
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Romont
(24km from Fribourg city) is the capital of the art of making
stained glass windows. The Swiss Museum of Stained Glass Windows
is located inside the walls of the castle (Château de Romont)
and includes a demonstration workshop. |
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Avenches
(15km from Fribourg city) with its Roman Amphitheatre, ruins
and museum attracts many people every year. |
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The Schwarzsee/Lac
Noir (25km from Fribourg city), is a winter and summer sport
resort, with a cable car and promenades, where people go for
fishing, sailing and relaxing. |
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Murten
(called Morat in French) and 17km from Fribourg city, is a medieval
town surrounded with "remparts" (fortress), with a
museum and water sports; |
and Estavayer-le-Lac
(30km from Fribourg city), a medieval city with a
church and a museum, crossed the Middle Ages but go back even
further than that. The Celts had settled in the Three-Lakes region
and were followed by the Romans. |
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The arable
land extends from the plateaux of Seeland, Vully and Broye across
the hills to the Prealps. The lie of the land with its particular
character and climatic conditions as well as a healthy combinations
of the farmers' preferences and knowledge favor animal husbandry,
in particular bovine species which provide dairy produce.
In addition
to Gruyère cheese - Fribourg is responsible for more than
half of he total Swiss productions - and Emmental, the numerous
cheese factories make a cantonal speciality called "vacherin"
as well as a various soft-cheeses.
Grain
plantations cover the greater part of the open land, and Broye,
the lake district as well as the Sangine purvey the bulk of this
market. Finally the vineyards of Vully and Cheyres produce quality
wines.
Fribourg’s
uniqueness is found in its cultural plurality, university, variety
in educational opportunities, and wealth in artistic heritage.
Symbolically, the country’s French and German speaking populations
come together on the banks of the Sarine River. |
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