My Hometown
March 22, 2010
Scott Thomas has posted a new photo challenge whose theme is “My Hometown”. Everyone is invited to participate in posting one or more photos about this particular subject. If you are interested, please go to the link below and post your photo(s) until midnight (your time) on Wednesday, March 24th, 2010.
Fribourg, in the French speaking area of Switzerland is not really my hometown… but it is the place I lived the longest in. So now I consider it as my hometown, I feel as good here as I do when I go back to my home state in the Alps. It is a town of about 30’000 inhabitants, its medieval part built along a river, the Sarine. Its cathedral, dedicated to St Nicolas, is imposing and was built in the 11th century. When you walk through Fribourg as I did last Saturday, you cannot but lift your head and admire the old architecture of its roofs and bell towers. Many of them !
Old bridges cross the river and one of them is covered. Cars may drive through it, buses too but just barely ! So much nicer to walk when no vehicles are around.
Saturday was a rather dull day, not many colours to light up my pictures but it was Scott’s challenge 😉 so I did my best and found some cheerful shades. The sun was away but the moon stood in a garden ! Bright and smiling and joyful in a rainy day..
May I introduce you to The Big Moon ? a lovely sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle; the artist was born in Paris but lived in New York for a long time. She spent some time in our town and left a great collection of art in a museum here. I visited it later on and, as always, enjoyed it immensely. I hope you have enjoyed this short walk through my hometown too.
Thank you Scott for giving me the opportunity to present a little of Fribourg.
Isathreadsoflife's Blog 
these are some pretty cool shots, nice town
Thanks for your visit and comment, kseverny:)
I liked to walk Fribourg with you Isabelle.
It is interesting to see how close people built their houses long time ago. On the river bank to the right it seems that no space is free for another building.
The old covered bridge is beautiful.
Thanks for the tour.
Hello Carsten ! Yes, there is no space between those old houses along the river. The medieval town was small, surrounded by a great wall, people just had to build narrow houses side by side, with small additions on the façade. The old covered bridge has been restored inside and it trembles when the bus drives through 😦 Thank you for visiting.
Love the photo of the houses along the river with the cathedral in the background. And the bright colors of the moon sculpture! What a perfect antidote to a gray day. 🙂
Glad you liked it, croquecamille and hopefully your days are brighter in Paris now !
Such a lovely town, Isa. Historic and friendly even in the gray of a light rain. Then, again, such days are perfect for minding colorful things like the wonderful moon sculpture. What a nice way for the artist to leave a part of herself behind.
Thanks Scott, I really enjoyed this challenge and the walk through the old town. You see things and places you don’t always notice without a particular aim. Niki de Saint Phalle and her husband Jean Tinguely have a beautiful museum dedicated to their art, here it is:
http://www.fribourgtourisme.ch/de/navpage-CultureFR-MuseumsFRI-118625.html
You town is so picturesque, even on a gray day! Lovely stonework and that covered bridge! We have a few in New England but not as ornate as that one. Great sculpture! Those colors would stop me in my tracks and draw me over! Thank you for sharing your hometown with us!
Thanks a lot milkayphoto, yes Fribourg is a picturesque town, one you feel good living in or just walking through. Summertime is more lively, terraces bloom on the paved streets, music is played in the streets and the weekly farmers’ market attracts a lot of people. Many more colours:)
I enjoyed the way you combined past and present, personal affection and community significance, all in one very pleasant Sunday walk. I was glad to be introduced to the work of Niki de Saint Phalle, too. The moon is a star . . .
The moon is a star… I will remember this next time I spend an hour or so in this quiet garden overlooking the river. I am glad you enjoyed your walk, even in the rain, Gerry.
Such a charming town,even on a rainy day, I would love to visit it. You did a good presentation, Isa.
Thank you giiid, this was a very subjective view of my hometown. Places I enjoy walking to always. There could be much more to be said and showed differently but we’ll leave it for another time, right ? I appreciated your comments.
That place certainly has a soul , I can almost hear the old bells ringing…
Fribourg has a soul, true, as probably any place you live in for a while and “feel” its history, every day life and culture. Thanks Robert.
Oh, my goodness! I gasped out loud at that river view! I have never seen any place like this! Thank you so much for the tour.
I, too, look forward to some COLOR! Everything remains so gray around here.
KD, thanks for your enthusiasm 🙂 Yes, this particular view is quite stunning, many people stop on this other bridge and just look, amazed, at this view before taking a picture. Almost 800 years of history are there under your eyes. Always beautiful. Glad you enjoyed it.
Nice place, your hometown, Isa. So different from mine… – I might make a visit to Fribourg in my old Volvo one holiday later on 🙂
All places have their own charm, haven’t they truels ? And your old Volvo is most welcome in Fribourg, I’ll be glad to be your guide 🙂
Such beautiful town, the third and fourth images are absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much for your visit and comment, Nye ! I tried to do my best with the pictures but a few rays of sun would have been most welcome 🙂
What a beautiful place and wonderful images – it left me wanting to see more of this town! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks Jennifer, I will post more of my hometown, different parts I like going to although not so ancient.
Isabelle, you did a most lovely job! What a pleasure to read and look at your photographs and actually imagine walking in Fribourg. I think you succeeded in the photographic challenge in a big way! (Makes me want to go back to Switzerland to visit again…)
I am glad you enjoyed your walk in Fribourg, Kathy. There are so many interesting photos to be taken in this town, why don’t you come back 😉 ?
What ancient charm!
That covered bridge looks like old bridges
that can be found in Vermont.
Fun sculpture!
As always…fabulous pictures!
I have seen pictures of covered bridges in the States, a bit different but also beautiful. I remember the one in “Madison Bridge”, this wonderful book and movie with C. Eastwood and M. Streep. I am happy you liked visiting a little of my hometown 🙂
Your hometown is beautiful.. Those medieval type roofs are charming. I wonder how it would feel to walk down the closed bridge… I guess it would be a lovely experience when there are no vehicles around.
Thank you iniyaal, walking under the covered bridge is lovely. On the right, you face a high cliff bording the river and on the left you see the other part of the old town, narrow houses, churches, gardens. Some day I will show more of it.
[…] from Switzerland showed us her hometown of Fribourg. A charming and historical town nestled near the […]
The sculpture really stands out. Great to walk through your hometown in Images.
Thanks pearlz, it’s a pleasure to share these views with you.
How beautiful! This reminds me so much of my childhood, growing up in Germany.
How interesting thedailyclick ! where about did you live in Germany ? I lived for some years in Berlin and studied a few months in Heidelberg, a most wonderful town along the Rhine. South Germany (Black Forest and Bavaria) is only a few hours’ drive from Fribourg
Thanks for letting me see your hometown. Your photos are so cool!
Thanks your your visit, Camilla, glad you enjoyed the photos !