a freihaus (german for "free house") was a house that, although physically within the city walls of a medieval or early modern city, was legally outside it. that is, the residents of a freihaus legally lived in the surrounding countryside and were outside the jurisdiction of the town court (they had the right to be tried before the regional court or "landgericht") and were exempt from municipal taxes. in addition to the nobility, religious institutions often had such privileged houses in urban areas.