An
introduction to Constance, the
historical town on Lake Constance
Constance
is situated in South-West Germany directly on the border to Switzerland.With
its population of around 76.000 it is the largest town on Lake Constance.The
town stretches out over the narrow ridge of land between the upper andlower
lakes and the Rhine winds its way through its center and flows ontowards Schaffhausen.
The university town of Constance is the economic andcultural centre of the Lake
Constance region.
The
town's origins go back as far as Celtic times when Constance was a fishing settlement.
The town most probably received its name "Constantia"when it was under
Roman rule. The town and its features are, however, characterized by its medieval
past as Constance has managed almost completely to resist the destructive effects
of war for centuries. The town is associated with important historical events
and great names from the past.
For
example,Constance was the only Council north of the Alps (1414-1418). During
thistime the Bohemian reformer Jan Hus was condemned to death for heresy. TheStaufen
Emperor Fredrick I, known under the name of Barbarossa, securedthe "Constance
Peace Treaty" in 1183 with the towns of Upper Italy,Napoleon III chose
Constance as his residence for three years and finally,Graf Zeppelin, the inventor
of airships, was born in Constance.
The
climate is often described as mild, even and dry and the climatic conditionsare
also sometimes referred to as Mediterranean because the lake functionsas a sort
of natural heated pool and regulates the temperature. For this reason you can
enjoy the warm evenings, for example on the harbour promenade,often until well
into October. The swimming season in the Constance lake-waterswimming areas
lasts from Spring to Fall.
More information here...
