Loretto Baths

The Loretto Baths is Germany’s oldest open-air swimming pool. It stands at the foot of the Lorettoberg in Freiburg’s Wiehre district. Founded in 1841 by Johann Nepomuk Stadler, it began as a cold-water river bath for men. The water still comes from the Hölderle stream that flows through the grounds. Oskar Heim took over in 1871, and by the late 19th century a women-only section was added. Today it remains the only pool in the country with a dedicated women’s area.

The baths have a long history of social change. In the 1970s women gained the right to bathe topless, and the courts later upheld the women-only pool under local regulations. Men are only allowed in the ladies’ section as lifeguards or during rare concerts organised by the Friends of the Lorettobad. These events feature choral singing, piano or orchestral music, though some visitors prefer to leave when the musicians arrive.

Visitors find two pools side by side. The family pool has a 25-metre lane, a shallow play area, a slide, sand and mud pits, sun loungers, a snack bar and games like table tennis and giant chess. The women’s pool mirrors this with its own 25-metre lane, play pool and meadow for relaxing. Both are surrounded by grass where people lie in the sun. The original wooden cubicles, over a century old, can still be rented each season.