Founded in 1120 as a free market town on the western edge of the Black Forest, in the Upper Rhine Plain, on the Dreisam river, at the foot of the hill Schlossberg, Freiburg reached in 14th century one of the richest cities in Europe, due the silver mines in Mount Schauinsland. In order to protect its welfare and facilitate the commerce, it entered into an alliance alongside with Basel, Colmar, and Breisach, known as the Genossenschaft des Rappenpfennigs (Rappenpfennig Collective), which lasted until the end of the 16th century, even if meanwhile the veins of silver were dwindling.
In 1520, Freiburg decided not to take part in the Reformation and became an important center for Catholicism on the Upper Rhine. On the other hand, in 1536 took place in the city first witch-hunt, that reached its peak in 1599. Between these years, more precisely between 1520 and 1530 (or 1532), was built the Kaufhaus (Merchants Hall), a Late Gothic building located on the south side of Freiburg's Münsterplatz, once the center of the financial life of the region. Its façade is decorated with statues and the coat of arms of four Habsburg emperors. The red stone building is well maintained and is a matter of great pride for the city.
About the stamps
The first stamp, depicting Tagetes, is part of the Blumen series, about which I wrote here. About the second, having as theme 200 Jahre Grimms Märchen (200 years Grimm's fairy tales), I wrote here.
References
Freiburg im Breisgau - Wikipedia
sender: Hsin-Hui Wu (direct swap)
sent from Freiburg (Baden-Württemberg / Germany), on 06.02.2013
photo: Hans Sigmund
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