Zum Roten Bären

Zum Roten Bären is Germany's and Europe's oldest hotel. The hotel's foundations stretch back to 1120 when the House of Zähringen dukes founded the town of Freiburg.

The cellar of this quaint inn (located in Freiberg and thought to be Germany's oldest hotel) houses its historical credentials. The rustic stone arches that form part of the foundations here are considered to date from around 1000, a long time before Freiberg was constructed in 1120. Zum Roten Bären has hosted over 50 innkeepers and weathered numerous conflicts, notably the Thirty Years' War, which raged across Europe from 1618 to 1648.

The hotel, on the other hand, did not do as well during the War of the Spanish Succession (a pan-European dispute over the Spanish throne, following the death of Charles II of Spain). In 1713, Frieberg was besieged, and the Zum Roten Bären was badly destroyed. Andreas Pflug, the hotel's owner, and innkeeper removed the damaged sections and replaced them with a three-story house, which is now the hotel's foundation. Pflug also installed a golden bear statue over the hotel door, which is still there today.

Location: Oberlinden 12, 79098 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Phone: 0043 (0)1 317 61 50
Website: zumrotenbaeren.at