Staufen

Staufen im Breisgau is a German town in the Breishau-Hochschwarzwald district of Baden-Wurttemberg, the upper Black Forest region. It has a population of approximately 7,700. It is noted in history and culture for its association with Dr. Faustus who, according to legend, sold his soul to the Devil at an inn here. Small pedestrian bridges cross the narrow little waterways that trickle through the heart of Staufen. Crowned by the ruins of its castle, Staufen is a charming village whose pedestrian streets are lined with richly colored old houses. The Staufen Castle, sitting on top of a mountain and surrounded by vineyards and fruit trees, was built in the 12th century. It was burned down 500 years later by Swedish troops.