“900 years young” reads the bold slogan emblazoned on the side of the tram as it rattles through Freiburg in Breisgau’s historical Old Town. Celebrating its 900th anniversary since originating as a merchant settlement in 1120, the medieval German city nestled at the foot of the Black Forest near the border triangle of Switzerland, France and Germany is arguably quite old.

It does, however, have youth on its side. Around 10% of the city’s 220,000 residents attend the prestigious Albert Ludwig University, making the population one of Germany’s youngest. Mayor Martin Horn was just shy of 34 when he was inaugurated at Town Hall in 2018. And the colourful half-timbered houses and car-free cobblestone streets lining its Old Town are, in fact, relatively young, as they were faithfully reconstructed after World War Two bombings. These ingredients have all helped create a Freiburg that is one of Germany’s, if not the world’s, most liveable, progressive, sustainable and child-friendly cities. So, while the city reflects on its 900-year history, I’m here to find out what makes it a city of the future.

For most, the city’s sustainable turning point can be traced back to February 1975. Thousands of protestors camped out for nine months on a patch of land 30km north of Freiburg deep in the Black Forest (…)

(https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200715-freiburg-germanys-futuristic-city-set-in-a-forest)

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