FREIBURG, FREYBURG, or FRIBURG, also called Friburg im Uchland, a canton of Switzerland. It is bounded on the N. and E. by the canton of Bern, on the S. and W. by Vaud, and on the N.W. by Lake Neuchâtel. The detached portions are entirely surrounded by the canton of Vaud. The canton of Freiburg belongs to the basin of the Aar, and is drained from S. to N. by the river Saane or Sarine, an affluent of the Aar. The southern part of the canton is very mountainous, being covered with offshoots of the Alps which separate the waters falling into the Rhône and Lake Leman from those flowing into the river Aar. The general direction of the surface slope of the
canton is towards the N. and N.W. down to the plains skirting the lakes Neuchâtel and Morat, with a small portion declining southwards towards the Lake of Geneva. In the S. or most elevated part of this canton, along the left bank of the Saane, are the Moléson and the Dent de Jaman, on the confines of Vaud, respectively 6710 and 4500 feet above sea-level. On the right bank of the same stream are the Dent de Brâneire and Mont Berra, respectively 7740 and 5310 feet high. Near the head of Rivers. the Sanetsch Pass, the most westerly in the Bernese Alps, rises the Saane, which flows N. through the middle of the canton; and on approaching the village of Saanen, turning a few miles W. in Vaud, it resumes its first direction, crosses the canton of Freiburg, flows through the towns of Gruyère and Freiburg, and falls into the Aar below Laupen, after a rapid course of about 72 miles. The valley of Bellegarde expands below Gruyère, where the Charmey joins the Saane as an affluent. Besides the Saane, which drains two-thirds of the canton, there is the Broye, which, flowing northward, and crossing the W. part of the canton, falls into Lake Morat, whence again it issues, and empties itself into Lake Neuchâtel. From the nature, elevation, Climate, and inclination of the surface of Freiburg, as might be expected, the climate is cold in winter, and subject to very sudden changes in spring and autumn. The pasture is excellent, both natural and artificial; and the crops most successfully cultivated are wheat, oats, rye, barley, potatoes, and tobacco in small quantities. Near the lakes of Neuchâtel and Morat, vines and other fruit-trees are cultivated, and forest timber is abundant, and much used as fuel. The Animals. domestic animals are horses, cows, sheep, goats, and pigs, which are not only numerous in proportion to the extent of the canton, but of excellent breeds: the horses and cows are the best breeds in Switzerland. Dairy husbandry is thoroughly understood; and the cheeses made in this canton are the best of their kind. On the banks of the Upper Saane, and in the Charmey valley, are manufactures and manuf. the cheeses known as Gruyère, of which about 30,000 cwt. are produced every year. Coal is raised in Bellegarde valley, and turf cut on the marshes of Morat. Some small paper-mills, iron-works, and glass-works are in operation; and, besides, there are some inconsiderable manufactures of tobacco, kirschwasser (cherry water), leather, and straw hats. The streams abound with carp, trout, eels, tench, pike, &c.; and of game there are in abundance wild ducks, woodcocks, red partridges, hares, and chamois. About 200 elementary schools, attended by 8000 pupils, Schools. are in active operation, and a normal school for the training of teachers. With the exception of the district of Morat, the Roman Catholic religion is universal over this canton. Since the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1847, there is no reliable information to be had in reference to the college of Freiburg, which was till then under their care, and attended by upwards of 500 students. There is a Protestant college at Morat. The line of demarcation between the French and the German languages passes through this canton, the greater number of the people using the French patois, while the rest speak a very corrupt German dialect. In the upper valley of the Saane the dialect is one of the Romansche language. The educated, however, all speak French.
Until the eleventh century the canton of Freiburg formed History. part of the kingdom of Burgundy; but since that time it was held by the hereditary dukes of Zähringen, one of whom, Berthold IV., built in 1179 the town of Freiburg ("freetown"), on which he conferred a municipal government, thus rendering it independent of the neighbouring feudal lords. After the extinction of the house of Zähringen, this canton passed under the house of Kyburg, and thence to that of Hapsburg, one of whom, Rudolph, the founder of the Austrian dynasty, confirmed and enlarged
Freiburg. the liberties of Freiburg in 1274. At that time the territory now called Alte Landschaft, "the old country," comprehended the entire canton. In 1450, when Freiburg was assailed by Bern and the other Swiss cantons, the reigning duke, Albrecht of Austria, released the inhabitants from their oath of allegiance, and they remained for some years under the protection of the dukes of Savoy. In 1481, having taken part with the Swiss against Charles the Bold, Freiburg was recompensed by being taken into the confederacy as a sovereign canton or state. By that and the subsequent wars Freiburg has attained its present territorial extent. Until December 1830, the government was like that of Bern—a popular municipality. At that date, however, a new constitution was formed, by which all natives of the canton aged 25 years, and being neither servants nor in the service of a foreign state, have the right of voting in the primary assemblies which choose the electors in the proportion of 1 to 100 of the inhabitants. The electors assemble in electoral colleges in the chief town of the district, and elect the members to the great Council of the Canton in the proportion of 1 to 1000 of the inhabitants. The members thus elected are appointed for nine years, and they meet twice a year, in May and November. The Great Council again appoints the Council of State or executive, consisting of 13 members for eight years; and the Court of Appeal, consisting of thirteen judges appointed for life. The president of the Council of State is elected by its members for two years. Freiburg returns five members to the National Council, under the new Swiss constitution, for its federal and general government.
Chief towns. Besides Freiburg, the capital, the other principal towns are Morat, Bulle, Gruyère, Romont, and Staefs, the inhabitants of which are respectively 1698, 1514, 400, 1400, and 1800. Morat (or Murten) on the bank of the Lake of Morat or the Murtenzee, contains a college, a public library, an hospital, an orphan asylum, and a castle built in the thirteenth century. The Lake of Morat is about five miles long by two in breadth, and about 170 feet in depth. Bulle is the chief depot for Gruyère cheese, and stands midway between Freiburg and Vevay, being about nineteen miles from each. Gruyère stands at a short distance from Bulle, near the left bank of the Saane or Sarine, and on a hill, of which the top is crowned with a feudal castle, still in good preservation. The area of Freiburg is 566 English square miles, occupied by a population (in 1850) of 99,891, of whom 91,125 were citizens of the canton, 7373 citizens of other cantons, and 1335 foreigners; 87,753 being Roman Catholics, and 12,133 Calvinists inhabiting the district of Morat.