The Cornell Club of Switzerland’s Annual Hike 2025
The city of Fribourg is considered a historic gem and has a rich cultural heritage. The Old Town is surprising and amazingly well preserved. It was founded in 1157 by Duke Berthold IV of Zaehringen. Sheltered from the ravages of history, Fribourg is an important old town and also one of the biggest medieval architectural ensembles in Europe.
This year the Cornell Club of Switzerland visited the city of Fribourg and the hike took us through the Old Town down to the gorge of Le Gottéron, through its scenic paths, and back via the high line to the Old Town.
Looking at the map and from the bridge Zähringerbrücke one will notice, that Fribourg is built on a loop of the river, quite like Bern. And indeed, Bern was founded by the same dynasty, the Zähringer.
Bern was founded 34 years later than Fribourg by Duke Berthold V and later became the center of the dynasty. The city of Fribourg was granted quite some freedom. Freiburg (German spelling) is a “Freie Burg” (or Stadt now).
Maybe the word “Gottéron” sounds familiar to you. It is on the iced pool of the old fish farm that the ice hockey team of HC Fribourg Gottéron was born in December 1937.
Legend has it that a dragon once raged in the Gottéron Valley. The monster was supposedly slain. But in the 20th century, the dragon became the heraldic symbol of HC Fribourg-Gottéron and was thus brought back to life. The goalies have been struck by the dragon’s curse ever since.
Spot the dragon in the pictures to the right and below.
During the hike we only saw indirect evidence of the existence of the dragon. Instead of the promised meeting with the dragon, we met Jackie and Robert, both long time members of the Cornell Club of Switzerland. They invited us to an apéro and served us their self-produced white wine.
Lively discussion of the wine and its origin.
Note the year of the hat!
Jackie and several members of the club at the apéro.
The hike 2025 ended in the Old Town of Fribourg with a final apéro.
Fribourg has its location on the language border between the French and German areas. Thus, many people left their footprints in the city.
Here we have an example of the “Fleur de Lys”, the symbol of French kings.
And one final reason, why we and many others love Fribourg: A very sympathetic street sweeper keeps the city clean (be inspired here).
Every day he gets a new rose from one of the shops in the Old Town. The song “Le balayeur à la rose” is dedicated to him. Have a look yourself!
