Dreikönigshaus

Could a building whisper secrets of centuries past? The Dreikönigshaus, standing here before us, certainly could. This late Baroque gem on Schwarzwaldstrasse has witnessed Freiburg’s eastern district evolve from a sleepy village to the bustling neighborhood you see today. The Dreikönigshaus is one of the oldest structures in this part of Freiburg. It whispers tales of travelers, merchants, and the steady rhythm of life along an ancient trade route. Originally part of a string of inns thriving on traffic to and from the Black Forest, the Dreikönigshaus, or “Three Kings House,” likely owes its name to a merchant named Wilhelm König. In 1695, he acquired a garden outside the Schwabentor gate and built an inn. Sadly, this original structure perished in the siege of 1744, making way for the building we see remnants of today, erected in 1748. The Dreikönigshaus isn’t just a pretty facade. It’s a time capsule reflecting the area’s history. Many of its owners supplemented their income through the timber trade. This makes perfect sense, given its proximity to the city’s timber storage yard and a sawmill on the “Dillemühlenkanal” which, at one point, was managed from the Dreikönigshaus. Imagine the hustle and bustle, the sights and sounds of logs transported by a canal flowing right past the inn, all the way from Oberried and the St. Wilhelmer Valley. This canal, active until the 19th century, served as a vital artery for the timber industry, carrying logs from the monastery forests. The Dreikönigshaus’s story takes an interesting turn in 1920 when it transitioned from a bustling inn to city property. It was then repurposed as a “Volksküche,” a people’s kitchen, providing affordable meals to Freiburg’s struggling middle class until 1966. The tradition of serving those in need continued, eventually evolving into the “Freiburger Essenstreff” in 1998, a food bank that still operates today. The Dreikönigshaus, a survivor amidst urban change, narrowly escaped demolition in the 1970s during the construction of Leo-Wohleb-Strasse. However, fate had other plans. A fire in 2015 tragically destroyed the central portion of the building. The Dreikönigshaus stands as a testament to Freiburg’s evolving urban landscape, a silent storyteller amidst the modern world. It reminds us of the importance of preserving these historical echoes, these whispers of the past, for generations to come.