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Konstanz (English traditionally Constance) is a small university town of around 80,000 people on the shore of Lake Constance (Bodensee) in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland.
Introduction
Konstanz is situated on the river Rhine which starts in the Swiss Alps and runs through Lake Constance, splitting the city in two. North of the river lies the larger part with residential areas and industrial estates; while south of the river is the old town, which houses the administrative centre and shopping facilities. The old town is bounded from the south by the border to Switzerland.
Konstanz was the place were the Council of Constance (1414-1418) took place, and where Jan Hus was burned at the stake (1415). It was also the birthplace of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, constructor of the famous Zeppelin airships.
Things to see
Although it is popular as a tourist destination, mainly with other Germans, the pace of life in Konstanz is quite slow. Konstanz is a place of beautiful scenery: the lake is surrounded by high, rolling hills covered with green forests, meadows and sometimes vineyards. In the summer, the view of the lake from one of the small hillside villages is made more impressive by the usual early morning mist.
You should be able to cover most of the sights and attractions in around a week, but save some time for excursions to nearby places like Reichenau Island, Mainau Island, Meersburg, Schaffhausen or Sankt Gallen. The touristic sights in Konstanz are mostly buildings and monuments of historical interest. Konstanz was the birthplace of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. There is a monument to him in the park by the harbour, and his former home is now an upper-class hotel and restaurant. Another more recent statue at the entrance to the harbour shows a woman holding two men on her hands. It is called Imperia and represents a famous Italian courtesan who was born 1485 in Ferrara. It reminds one of the less pious aspects of the Council of Constance, and the two men on her hands represent Pope Martin V and Emperor Sigismund. The former was elected during said council, replacing three competing popes. The latter was in power during the council, representing the secular power. Both are naked except for the symbols of their power. Although Imperia never visited Konstanz, she is connected to the council that took place long before her birth through a short story by Balzac, "La belle Impéria".
Most of the interesting buildings are in the "Altstadt" (Old Town), which is relatively big, considering the small size of modern Konstanz. As a typical medieval city it is a little twisty and disorienting. There is a majestic Minster (cathedral), a couple of churches and some towers, one of which marks the place of the former medieval bridge over the Rhine. The most romantic and scenic part of the city lies between the Minster and the Rhine and is called Niederburg (Lower Castle). The buildings here are the oldest and the streets are the narrowest. The area around the Marktstaette (market square, originally: market shore) is the more lively part of the Altstadt.
Outside the Altstadt, take a bus to Bismarcksteig and walk up the hill to Bismarcksturm (the tower at the top of the hill that can be seen from most of the town). This spot is favoured by romantic types and/or drunk people as a place to sit and watch the sun set, with a nice view over the vineyards down to the lake and town.
Beyond this tower, further north, lies the university, also accessible by bus. This sprawling establishment is some kind of weird architectural acid-trip of a building. The library itself is worth seeing (if you can get in) just for the fun of trying to get out again. Colditz escapees had it easy in comparison. It is actually the largest walk-in-library in Germany. The university has approximately 7000 students and was founded in 1966. It is situated on top of a hill, between forest and meadows, overlooking the lake. There is a ten-minute walk to the halls of residence down which you can expect to have any attempt at conversation drowned out by the constant croaking of thousands of frogs desperate to mate, but only in the early summer mating season.
The city is twinned with Fontainebleau, France; Colwyn, Wales; and Richmond-upon-Thames, England.