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Konstanz, Germany

Where is Konstanz?

Konstanz is the largest and most historic town on Lake Constance and is known for its role in the religious disputes in the Middle Ages.

It is located on the border with Switzerland - the neighbouring town of Kreuzlingen is on just the other side of the customs posts - and lies at the western end of the lake, near the start of the Rhine.

The municipal district of Konstanz also covers two islands - Reichenau island and the better-known flower island of Mainau.

An aerial view of the old town in Konstanz
An aerial view of the old town in Konstanz

Konstanz is a busy commercial and university student city as well as being a tourist base for visitors looking to explore Lake Constance.

The flower island of Mainau welcomes well over a million guests each year to its gardens and displays. More information about visiting the island can be found here: Mainau Island

How to get to Konstanz

Closest airport to Konstanz

The closest airport to Konstanz is just on the other side of Lake Constance just outside Friedrichshafen but the shorter distance includes a ferry across the lake.

Distance to Friedrichshafen (Bodensee) Airport: 32km
Distance to Zurich Airport: 70km
Distance to Memmingen (Allgäu) Airport: 111km
Distance to Basel (EuroAirport) Airport: 158km
Distance to Stuttgart Airport: 178km

The airports at both Memmingen and Friedrichshafen are favourites for low-cost airlines and offer limited choices of destinations compared to the larger city airports. The shorter distances also involve a ferry journey across Lake Constance. Otherwise the optimal choices are probably the larger airports at Zurich and Stuttgart, with Zurich having a big advantage in distance.

Train station in Konstanz

The train station in Konstanz is set just back from the lakeshore on the edge of old town and near the ferry terminals. The railway station offers a German and a Swiss section. The German line runs regional express services through to Singen (part of the Schwarzwaldbahn which ends up in Karlsruhe) where there are Intercity connections to Stuttgart and regional services to Ulm.

The Swiss section offers regular rail links to Zurich and St Gallen as part of their Interregio express service.

Ferry service from Konstanz around Lake Constance

Ferry travel is a popular option for sightseeing but also for those who want a relatively quick and uncomplicated route to other parts of Lake Constance. (Road connections, especially in the summer high season, can be very busy.) Konstanz is connected to Meersburg, Überlingen, Friedrichshafen and Lindau on the German side and Bregenz in Austria with the regular ferry service. There are also frequent connections to the popular tourist destination of Mainau island.

There is a car ferry service between Konstanz and Meersburg, although it should be noted that the port for this is in the Konstanz suburb of Staad on the northern side of the peninsula.

A year-round connection to the other end of the lake can be found via the Friedrichshafen-Konstanz catamaran ferry service.

Where to stay in Konstanz

Much of the accommodation in Konstanz is located on the quieter Petershausen side of the river (or lake) but still with easy access to the old town and ferry services or in Staad, with access to the ferry services across Lake Constance.

Konstanz accommodation map

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History of Konstanz

Traces of settlers from the later Stone Age have been found around Konstanz, although the earliest permanent habitation is thought to have been by the Celts in the 1st century BC.

The Celts were defeated by the Romans, who built a fortress in the area of the Konstanz Minster in the 1st century AD. The name 'Constantia' is thought to have come from the Roman era, although there is some debate about which Emperor Constantine the town was named for. The first time the name of the town is mentioned in a document was in the 6th century.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, Konstanz came under the control of the various Germanic kingdoms which appeared in the area.

The minster at Konstanz in Germany
The minster at Konstanz in Germany

Konstanz became a religious centre under the rule of the Bishop of Konstanz and an important strategic point on the trade routes between north and south. It was the location of a major Rhine crossing and became an important base for the linen trade. Konstanz received the right to hold a market at the start of the 10th century.

At that time only the bishop's residence was fortified with the merchants eventually being protected by the expansion of the town walls in the 12th century.

The town won the right to mint its own coins and became an important stopping point for merchants trading in linen, but also furs, herbs and spices.

But even at the point of its most successful commercial performance, Konstanz suffered a body blow as the connection of a trade route over the Gotthard pass meant that the town became irrelevant for merchants looking to transport their wares to Zurich and Basel.

The Council of Konstanz

The Council of Konstanz marked the high point of the town's power and influence. At the time, the church in Europe was bitterly split, with three opposing popes supported by different factions and a reformist group of philosophers and clergy who were undermining the established power structures within the Catholic church.

It took place between 1414 and 1418 and involved more than 400 high-ranking ecclesiastical figures, as well as retinues of various kings and princes, especially King Sigsmund, the Imperial Protector of the Church (later Holy Roman Emperor).

The council resulted in the resignations of the three existing popes, the election of a new pope (Pope Martin V), and the execution by burning at the stake of the church reformers Jan Hus and Hieronymus of Prague.

The medieval council hall building at Konstanz in Germany
The medieval council hall building at Konstanz in Germany

Konstanz had been chosen because of its position on trade routes, meaning relatively easy access for the important visitors, and the capability to feed the visitors with local fish from the lake as well as other goods which would need to be transported.

At the time, Konstanz had a population of around 6000, so the fluctuating number of visitors had a massive effect. Estimates reckon that there were more than 70,000 people attracted by the council. Apparently, many were forced to sleep two to a bed and commentators from the era remarked on the flourishing trade in the brothels which sprung up around the town.

The most important decision of the four-year Council - the election of a new Pope - took place in the merchants' trading house on the lakeshore, which had been built some decades before to deal with the flourishing commerce between Germany and Italy.

The trading house became known as the Konzil ('council building') and was renovated in 1970. It now houses meeting and seminar facilities and a restaurant.

After the Council of Konstanz

Although the Council of Konstanz was partly notable for the burning at the stake of two renowned campaigners for church reform, Konstanz later became a city which supported the Reformation.. Unfortunately, during the Counter-Reformation, that led to Konstanz having to surrender to hostile forces and becoming part of the Hapsburg provinces in Austria.

By the 17th century Konstanz was a sideshow used by the Austrians to block any efforts at Swiss expansion. The Napoleonic wars brought even more hardship, with the city being occupied by French revolutionary troops and then by Napoleon during his various campaigns against Austria.

However this did mean that the city came under the control of the German state of Baden, later to become part of Baden-Württemberg.

Although Konstanz was an important industrial centre, involved in weapons production and radar components research, it remained untouched by the Allied bombing raids which destroyed so many other German population centres.

The reason was the Swiss border with the neighbouring town of Kreuzlingen, which runs through the centre of the city, and the fact that in contrast to other German cities, Konstanz left its lights on at night to mask the border with Switzerland.

Other towns on Lake Constance

Lindau, Germany

Lindau

Lindau, Germany, is an attractive medieval town on an island in Lake Constance. Lindau's old town features cobblestone streets and timber-framed houses. Lindau's famous lighthouse and lion statue serve as the town's emblem, with impressive views over the harbour from the top of the lighthouse.

Friedrichshafen Germany

Friedrichshafen

Friedrichshafen is a town in a beautiful location on the northern shore of Lake Constance. It was a centre for the aviation industry and is home to the Zeppelin Museum and the Dornier Museum. Both companies were based in Friedrichshafen. Bodensee Airport is just to the north of the town and provides the closest flight link to the Lake Constance region.

Meersburg Germany

Meersburg

Meersburg is situated on the northern shore of Lake Constance and is home to the Old Castle, a medieval fortress that offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding countryside. The town is a popular summer travel destination for both Germans and foreign tourists

Tourist Office

Konstanz tourist information office is situated in the same building as the main railway station near the city centre opposite the northern edge of the old town. It is open seven days a week in the summer (with slightly restricted hours at the weekend) and open on weekdays only during the winter.
Website: www.konstanz-tourismus.de