This week, we resume our tour of selected European cities.
Konstanz (often called “Constance” in English) sits at the western end of Lake Constance in south Germany. The Swiss border passes just to the south of the city, which encompasses both banks of the Rhine River.
Settlement in the area goes back to at least the Stone Ages, and the Romans settled on the site of modern Konstanz around 40 AD. In recent times, Konstanz has become a destination for cross-border shoppers from Switzerland. We visited Konstanz on a sunny afternoon in August, 2019.
Lake ways. The Molenhaus lighthouse marks the entrance to Konstanz’s sheltered harbour. From Konstanz, there are multiple car and passenger ferries that zip across Lake Constance (called Bodensee in German) to destinations in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
Konzilgebäude. The historic council house was built in the 14th century, originally as a warehouse for trade goods. The Catholic Church’s Council of Constance was held here from 1414 to 1418, and ultimately elected Pope Martin V. This was the last papal election held outside of Italy (and the only one to take place in Germany.) The Konzil restaurant now operates in the building.
Imperia. The commanding 9-metre concrete Imperia statue towers over the harbour. The statue represents a character in a story by Honoré de Balzac, about a woman who wielded influence over both Pope Martin V and German King Sigismund (who was also the Holy Roman Emperor.) Although the sculptor, Peter Lenk, denies it, the naked figures in Imperia’s hands do resemble the two men. The statue was controversial when it was erected in 1993 but has since become a well-known landmark of Konstanz and one of its top tourist attractions.
Two monuments. In the background soars the spire of Konstanz Minster, a Catholic cathedral dating back a thousand years. The building was constructed and expanded over the course of many centuries. The statue in the foreground pays tribute to Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who invented the rigid airships that came to be known as zeppelins.
Old quarter. Due to the city’s proximity to the Swiss border, the Allies did not bomb Konstanz during WWII. Consequently, its old buildings and narrow streets have survived into modern times. Several of the buildings in the Old Quarter are painted with vivid historical scenes.
Tourist turds. Konstanz draws a lot of tourists, and unfortunately some of them leave behind more than their footprints. Despite pleas to stop the practice—considered a form of vandalism in many tourist areas— some visitors insist on engaging in the nonsensical fad of fastening padlocks to structures wherever they go. I’m sure there’s some very nice scenery behind this mess.
Travel note: The three nearest international airports are in Stuttgart, Basel, and Zurich. There is a direct train link between Konstanz and the Zurich (Switzerland) airport (which is about 70 kilometres west of Konstanz.) Konstanz is linked by railway to cities all over Germany and beyond.
