REGENSBURG
History
History I
Sightseeing I
Practical I Hotels in Regensburg
(Information hereunder
courtesy of
Historic
Highlights of Germany - an excellent tourist guide for
Regensburg )
Regensburg's municipal history dates back to 179 AD. At that time, the
Roman camp Castra Regina was completed under Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
The deed for its foundation was hewn in stone – a table unique in
Germany that can be seen in the city's museum.
After withdrawal of the Romans, Regensburg was the governmental seat of
the Bavarian dukes and Bavaria's first capital.
In the time of Charlemagne, Regensburg became a favoured site for
Imperial diets and princely assemblages. With this rise in its political
fortunes, the city also enjoyed an economic boom. In the 12th and 13th
centuries, the ministry officials of the Frankish kings developed into
proud and incredibly wealthly merchants. Their lifestyle rivaled that of
the nobility.Beneficiaries of power struggles of the duchy and the bishops were the
citizens themselves. They gained imperal freedom and the right to elect
a Lord Mayor. And they built grandiose patrician houses whose
Italian-style towers reaching to the heavens embellished the city
skyline.
Regensburg impressively illustrates how a large medieval city looked.
St. Peter's Cathedral, the churches and monasteries, as well as the
glorious patrician palaces are imposing witnesses of that bygone era.
All this is further enhanced by the city's magnificent location in the
midst of gently rolling hills, whose wine has been cultivated since
antiquity.
No less a figure than Goethe noted in his travel journal: "Regensburg,
treasure house of the past, is beautifully situated". And Mozart praised
the hospitality of the city on the Danube. Yet time has not stood still
here. With its 142,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the lively center of
Eastern Bavaria. Rounding out a vital mix of art and culture are genuine
Bavarian "Gemütlichkeit" and hospitality. Life is good in Regensburg,
because here people still have time to welcome guests.
