Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You don’t need to go to Turkey to see hundreds of hot air balloons rising.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Find the Most Unusual Festivals in the U.S.?
about 7 hours ago
Located in Indianola, Mississippi, Club Ebony hosted performances by blues legends like B.B. King.
How Club Ebony Helped Keep the Blues Alive in the Jim Crow South
about 7 hours ago
Our journey begins in Texas—more specifically in Big Bend National Park.
The Atlas Obscura (Audio) Guide to the National Parks
1 day ago
A 16,000-square foot greenhouse in downtown Toronto has rooms dedicated to a range of climates stocked with ecosystem-appropriate plants, flowers, and animals.
10 Unexpected Places Where Creativity Shines in Toronto
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Freiburg im Breisgau Martinstor McDonald's
AO Edited

Martinstor McDonald's

Located in a heritage building, this Mickey D's is missing its Golden Arches.

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Look, Ma, no Golden Arches.   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Look, Ma, no Golden Arches.   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
This McDonald’s lurks in plain sight.   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
McDonald’s has a number of architectural oddities around the globe.   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Look closely at the city gate here.   CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

While the term "McDonaldization" is often used to refer to the spread of cultural homogeneousness, there's actually a surprising amount of architectural diversity among the 41,000-plus global fast-food restaurants. In Roswell, New Mexico, the McDonald's resembles, fittingly, a downed UFO. In Subotica, Serbia, you can have your Big Mac in a 1912 Art Nouveau gem. And in Taupo, those famous fries are served aboard a decommissioned DC-3.

In 1977, McDonald's opened one of its first German branches in Freiburg right in the historic city gate. When the restaurant underwent a renovation in 2008, the city council demanded that the franchise tone down its decor to match the surrounding 13th-century architecture. Although they initially demanded there be no signage at the gate at all, they ultimately relented as long as the restaurant ditched its iconic Golden Arches.

Nowadays, the restaurant is a moderately popular tourist stop due to its unique lack of yellow signage. In addition to the usual McNuggets, you'll find a few local specials here, including a "Big Rösti" burger with crispy potatoes and German beef.

Related Tags

Restaurants Architecture Fast Food Mcdonalds

Know Before You Go

The restaurant is open daily. On the top floor, you get a nice view of the inside of the gate. 

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

finlayson, linkogecko

  • finlayson
  • linkogecko

Published

February 14, 2025

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.badische-zeitung.de/mehr-fastfood-fuer-freiburg
Martinstor McDonald's
254 Kaiser-Joseph-Straße
Freiburg im Breisgau, 79098
Germany
47.993697, 7.848922
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Freiburg Bächle

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

miles away

Krokodil im Kanal

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

miles away

Haus zum Walfisch

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau

Germany

Places 8
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Freiburg Bächle

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

miles away

Krokodil im Kanal

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

miles away

Haus zum Walfisch

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau

Germany

Places 8
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Batumi McDonald’s.

    Batumi, Georgia

    Batumi McDonald's

    Fast food feels like fine dining at this award-winning modern Georgian building.

  • Close-up of the McDonalds marquee with the Imperial eagle

    Porto, Portugal

    McDonald's Imperial

    This restored Portuguese cafe may well be the most beautiful place in the world to grab a Big Mac.

  • On the upper floor of the McDonald’s.

    Subotica, Serbia

    World’s Only Art Nouveau McDonald’s

    Housed in a 1912 architectural masterpiece, this outlet of the Golden Arches is a real beauty.

  • Orlando, Florida

    World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's

    Opened in 1976, this monster-sized version of the fast-food franchise is sometimes called the Epic McD.

  • Sedona, Arizona

    Teal McDonald's Arches

    The world's only teal arches exist in a city that cares more about its aesthetic than an Instagram influencer.

  • Roswell McDonalds

    Roswell, New Mexico

    Roswell McDonald's

    This fast-food outlet is the only space and UFO-themed McDonalds in the world.

  • The Cathedral Café has been serving its community for more than 120 years.

    Fayetteville, West Virginia

    Cathedral Café

    Soak in the sacred vibes at this beloved food and coffee hangout inside a former church.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • Introducing one of the only train station lobsters that won’t leave you filled with regret.

    New York, New York

    Grand Brasserie

    New York's transit system peddles terrible food in limited windows—this restaurant is a rare exception.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.