On the northwestern shore of Lake Constance lies the ancient city of Konstanz. It is surrounded by the German Alps and borders Switzerland, and the Rhine flows through the middle of Konstanz, dividing it in half. The history of the city goes back more than a thousand years, when the Romans founded a camp here, named after Emperor Constantius Chlorus. Konstanz was spared by the Second World War, and today it is a major tourist center with a large number of interesting places.

This is a neat university town with many restaurants, bars and shops located in the picturesque Old Town. Local residents, called “lake hares” (Seehasen), love to stroll along the embankment or relax by the pools overlooking the lake on warm days.

10 most interesting attractions in Constanta

Things to do in Constanta

Where to spend a nice evening

The student city will not let tourists get bored after sunset. At the port you can drink a glass of wine or another drink and enjoy the view of the lake. The city itself also has many recreational options.

1. K9. The medieval church has become a popular venue hosting club parties, jazz concerts and film screenings. Address: Obere Laube, 71.
2. Klimperkasten. A retro cafe that turns into a club at night with DJs, garage rock and indie music. Address: Bodanstrasse, 40.
3. Schwarze Katz. A favorite among locals and tourists, the cafe offers a relaxed atmosphere and drinks at reasonable prices. We recommend trying Swiss beer! Address: Katzgasse 8.
4. Seekuh. The beer garden and regular concerts brought love to the Sea Cow, and the cheap drinks only strengthened its popularity. Address: Konzilstrasse, 1.
5. Brauhaus Johann Albrecht. Small brewery serving wheat beers and hoppy lagers. Address: Konradigasse 2.

Where to eat in Constanta

Around Stadtgarten there are overpriced establishments, but in Markstätt and Münsterplatz there are plenty of ice cream parlors, snack bars and pizzerias where you can grab a tasty snack.

Getting around the city center by car is very difficult, especially on weekends. The reason for this is the ancient narrow streets and a large number of walking routes. Leave your car three kilometers from the Old Town, in the free parking lot Bük Gulden. From there you can take a bus to the center.

For one bus trip you will need to pay 2.10 euros, a day pass costs 4 euros per person. You can rent a bicycle at Kultur Radle - daily rental costs 12 euros.

Watch a documentary about the history of the city of Konstanz

(Photo above © Johanning / commons.wikimedia.org / Licensed CC BY 2.0)

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The German city of Konstanz, with about 80 thousand inhabitants, is located in the very south of Germany, directly on the German-Swiss border.

The medieval city center is located on the shores of Lake Constance at the point where the Rhine flows from the lake.

The entire coastal part of the lake is occupied by the harbor waters.

The entrance to the harbor is marked by an old tower and a 9-meter high statue of the Empire by sculptor Peter Lenk.

The monumental statue is not simple, it slowly rotates around its axis, sometimes becoming “front to me, back to the lake,” and then vice versa.

Unfortunately, the Constance shore of Lake Constance is not well suited for idyllic walks and relaxation. The narrow embankment on the land side is occupied by the backyard of the station, and the view of the lake is blocked by piers and some kind of port services.

The only green oasis on the shore of the lake is a modest-sized square, proudly called the City Garden / Stadtgarten.

Nevertheless, it’s still worth going to the pier.

On the shore of the lake stands one of the most famous buildings in Konstanz - the “Cathedral Building” / “Konzil”.

The building was built in 1388 with funds from Milanese merchants and originally served as a warehouse for goods. In 1417, the conclave that elected Martin V to the papal throne met here. This was the first and last “exit session” in the history of the Catholic Church, held north of the Alps.

And two years earlier, in 1415, a church council was held in this building, which condemned Jan Hus and sentenced the Czech reformer to death. Nowadays, a memorial stone has been erected at the site of the burning of Jan Hus in Konstanz.

There is also a monument to Count Ferdinand Zeppelin on the shore of the lake. The inventor of the airship, born in Konstanz, appears in the form of Icarus.

As usual, the name of the famous native of the city has been replicated and used appropriately and inappropriately.

The elegant building of the Graf Zeppelin Hotel rises on Stephansplatz.

This building most likely has nothing to do with Ferdinand Zeppelin, since the hotel, although with a different name, has stood on this site since 1835.

In 1900, the building burned down, and in 1905, a hotel was reopened in the restored building, which received the name of the inventor, who had already become famous by that time.

The frescoes on the facades of the Graf Zeppelin Hotel were made at the beginning of the 20th century during the restoration of the building.

As proof of Konstanz's involvement in the development of technological progress, an airship slowly cruises in the sky over Lake Constance in good weather.

If you walk a little along the shore of the lake, you can reach the bridge separating Lake Constance and the Rhine flowing from it.

A wooden bridge has existed at this site for many centuries. Nowadays, only the Bridge Tower with Gates / Rheintorturm, built around 1400, remains of the old bridge.

About three hundred meters from the Bridge Tower on the banks of the Rhine, another plump and squat tower has been preserved - the Powder Tower / Pulverturm.

Between these two Rhine towers along the parapet of the embankment stand the most prominent "city fathers" immortalized in stone.

The city walls, built in the 14th century, once had 27 towers, but now there are only three left. In addition to the two towers standing on the banks of the Rhine, at the opposite end of the medieval city another gate with a gate tower has been preserved - Schnetztor (Hussenstrasse).

Between the lake, the Rhine and the Schnetztor gate stretches a web of medieval streets in Constance.

During World War II, not a single bomb fell on Konstanz. The fact is that the German Konstanz and the Swiss Kreuzlingen, in fact, represent a single city, and the state border runs right through the streets of this conglomerate. It would seem that thanks to this, Konstanz would be an example of a perfectly preserved German medieval city.

But, alas, alas!

Only the medieval layout of the streets has been preserved from the old city, which cannot be said about the buildings.

No, almost all the houses in the center of Konstanz bear breathtaking dates of construction and historical “names” of the houses.

However, cut window openings, impersonal facades, modern shop windows and double-glazed windows completely destroy the appearance of many buildings. In most cases, only the external volumes remain of medieval buildings. Well, who would have guessed that the house “At the Leopard” / “Zum Leopard” was built in 1599 if these numbers were not displayed on the facade?

And in this case, it will not be possible to blame the blame on external “evil forces”.

However, some, but unfortunately rare, beautiful houses on the streets of Constanta are still alive.

In a small alley (Hoehenhausgasse) a medieval tower house with luxurious paintings from 1580 has been preserved.

The City Hall / Rathaus (Kanzleistrasse) is no less picturesque.

The building was built in the 15th century for the weavers' guild, and in 1594 it was rebuilt into the Town Hall. The frescoes on the facade were completed in 1864.

But the inner courtyard of the Town Hall, decorated in the Renaissance style, is especially beautiful.

A stone's throw from the Town Hall is the pretty Obermarkt / Upper Market Square, lined with old houses around the perimeter.

The Konstanz Cathedral stands on Münsterplatz.

A Romanesque basilica appeared on this site in the mid-11th century.

In the 14th century, the basilica was equipped with Gothic chapels and the exterior of the building was completely changed.

Subsequently, the temple was expanded and rebuilt several times.

A heavy carved door leads inside the cathedral.

The interior of the temple seems light and spacious.

The vaults of the building are decorated with geometric shapes, and all the shapes are different and are not repeated twice.

The interior of the temple contains all the design techniques: carvings, sculptures, sparkling altars...

The decoration of the cathedral is completed by a large, elegant organ.

Among the medieval and “as if medieval” houses rise monumental buildings from the turn of the 19th-20th centuries.

In 1863, the Konstanz train station was built on the shores of Lake Constance.

The station building is crowned by a tall tower in the neo-Gothic style.

A small elegant pavilion has been preserved near the station.

Most of the buildings of the early 20th century in the central part of the city tend to be eclectic.

But you can also find examples of local art nouveau.

The semicircular bay window, rising to the entire height of this building, is topped with a powerful dome.

The dome is surrounded by brutal figures.

A formidable mascaron of enormous size complements the decoration of the façade.

And the architect, proud of his creation, etched his name in stone.

However, it is better for fans of Art Nouveau to go to the “Paradise” / “Paradise” district adjacent to the city center, where they can get acquainted with the local version of this architectural trend in more detail.

The locals now living in Constanta clearly prefer the avant-garde. This is especially evident in their love for unusual fountains.

The palm among the fountains of Constance, of course, belongs to the creation of the sculptor Peter Lenk, to which a separate story is dedicated -

On Fischmarkt Square there is this “Funnel” fountain.

And the ever-noisy, lively Marktstätte square is decorated with a mysterious installation, the name of which we could not come up with.

Another example of modern art can be seen on Stephansplatz.

This is the building of a former Franciscan monastery founded in the mid-13th century. In 1788 the monastery was closed, and in 1845 the building was rebuilt to house the city administration. On April 12, 1848, from the balcony of this house, Friedrich Hecker proclaimed the first German republic. The colorful panels on the side of the house tell exactly about this event.

Oddly enough, these panels are very in tune with the city. Konstanz, despite its romantic watery surroundings, is a noisy and somewhat hectic city. For some reason, the old streets are not conducive to contemplation and leisurely walks. The shore of the lake within the city does not provide opportunities for relaxation and “meditation”.

But, given that there are many interesting towns and places on the shores of Lake Constance, it is worth considering Konstanz as a starting point for trips around the area.

The best time to holiday in Constanta is the months from May to September. During this period, the weather is conducive not only to visiting many unique attractions, but also to warm swimming in the sea, carefree relaxation on numerous fluffy and cozy beaches and romantic walks along the edge of the coast under the lapping of the waves. The sea water in the area of ​​this resort town is virtually impeccably clean and in the summer sometimes warms up to degrees Celsius. Of course, you can come to Constanta at any other time and neither low temperature nor falling snow can stop you from enjoying the city, its indescribable historical atmosphere and a magnificent kaleidoscope of local attractions. Snow in Constanta, as a rule, can appear from October to March; you will not encounter any special wind or severe frosts here. Therefore, the city is open to everyone, and especially real tourists, all year round.

How to get to Constanta?

If your route passes through Bucharest, then you can choose a transport option to suit your taste and in accordance with your travel budget. There are at least 4 options: plane, train, bus or rented car. Meanwhile, if you travel by your own car, then you need to build an individual route, or leave your car in Bucharest for a while and use one of the listed methods of transportation. In addition, when planning your trip, keep in mind that Constanta has an international airport, Kogalniceanu, located just 24 kilometers north of Constanta. The airport offers flights not only to and from Bucharest, but also charter flights from Russia, the Netherlands and Sweden. Once you fly to Kogalnicana, you can easily get to Constanta using taxi services. Such a trip will cost about 20 RON (5 US dollars).

The Constanta railway and highway connect not only with Bucharest, but also with another magnificent Romanian seaside resort town called Mangalia. Automobile modern convenient highway E-87 (Tulcea-Mamaia-Constanza-Mangalia). If you are traveling by car from the West, then use the E-60 highway (Oradea-Cluj-Brasov-Bucharest-Constanza). The distance from Bucharest to Constanta is 232 kilometers.

Approximate prices for Bucharest-Constanza route:
1st class train tickets - 86 RON ($21);
2nd class train tickets - 58 RON ($15);
one way air flight - 300 RON ($75);
Round-trip airfare - 360 RON ($90).

Hotels and restaurants in Constanta

The abundance of hotels of different levels and catering establishments amazes the eye of the most sophisticated traveler. For example, if you want to stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel of comfort level, then you will be given this opportunity for 55-80 dollars per person (220-320 RON). Local cozy restaurants will be happy to treat you to delicious Romanian, Mediterranean and European cuisine. Romanian dishes are colorful, unforgettably tasty and very varied. Don’t forget to try truly Romanian dishes, the real taste of which you will not be able to taste anywhere else in the world: mamaliga, mititei, feta cheese, sarmauti, chorbu, plakia, tocani, aliventsi, cozunac, panasi, malai and of course, excellent local wines that are not leave no gourmet indifferent. Try to try truly Romanian food - you will not regret it and will want to take the recipe to repeat this feast upon returning to your native land.

In the evening and at night, virtually every restaurant presents its own musical program. Romanian dances are so lively and cheerful that before you know it, you’ll be dancing with the cheerful locals. The musicians in Romania surpass themselves - any musical request you make will certainly sound in the best local performance. Of course - not for free, but from the heart.
The city has many 24-hour establishments, as well as nightclubs with modern, incendiary shows and art programs. Every tourist can find a place to their liking, regardless of age, musical and gastronomic preferences, as well as gender
In Romania, it is customary to tip 10 percent of the bill.

Sights, excursions and entertainment in Constanta

The cultural heritage of the city's past is partially hidden under modern buildings. But there is still something to see. A treasure trove for tourists is the “sculptural warehouse” from 1962, which recalls a previously thriving and interesting civilization and supplies valuable exhibits to the Museum of History and Areology of the city, founded back in 1889. Other interesting sights of Constanta include:

Museum of the Sea;
Museum of Ethnography;

In addition, Constanta abounds with a great scattering of temples, cathedrals and churches of various concessions and religions. Basic religious buildings that are definitely worth seeing with your own eyes:

Karol Mosque;
Catholic Church;
Orthodox Cathedral of Peter and Paul.
In the latter you can admire unique frescoes that have been preserved surprisingly intact. In addition, this cathedral is not similar to other Orthodox buildings - it has a noticeable shade of Ottoman architecture. The creation of the cathedral dates back to 1898.

The mosque, founded in 1910, is actually the twin of the Anatolian mosque and a center for the Muslim part of the population of Constanta. From the site of this building you can take in virtually the entire city, including the port area. The minaret reaches a height of 30 meters.

In addition to the listed attractions, in Constanta you can get a lot of positive emotions in the planetarium, aquarium, dolphinarium, drama and musical theaters, and the legendary local casino, built according to drawings and diagrams provided by the Kingdom of Monaco itself at the beginning of the 20th century. However, you can still play real roulette in the casino. The Constanta Aquarium is one of the best in the world. A huge number of species of marine fauna and flora are presented here. The territory is distinguished by the scale of the buildings. Some tourists spend the whole day here, happily observing the harmonious flow of life of the underwater inhabitants.

The port waters will delight travelers with a kaleidoscope of ships bringing cargo from many countries on the planet. The port, being one of the largest in Europe, has the ability to receive virtually any ships that pass through the Suez Canal. The highlight of the port is the ancient Greek and Ottoman ships forever chained to the pier. In addition, the embankment is rich in other historical values, for example, models of ships dating back to different eras of the development of navigation.

Konstanz, Germany: the most detailed information about the city of Konstanz, the main attractions with photos and descriptions, location on the map.

City of Konstanz (Germany)

Konstanz is a city in Southern Germany, located on the picturesque Lake Constance on the border with Switzerland. It has an extensive old town located on the left bank of the Rhine with winding old streets, interesting sights and historical monuments. Konstanz is the largest city of Lake Constance and neighbors (practically forming one settlement) with the Swiss Kreuzlingen. Interestingly, since Switzerland is not a member of the EU, there is a border crossing between the cities. There are also two currencies at play here - the euro and the Swiss franc.

Konstanz is located in the upper (western) part of Lake Constance at the exit of the main German river - the Rhine. The climate here is much milder than in any other part of Germany, so palm trees, lemon and orange trees can be seen growing in this place. Summers are warm and not hot, winters are very mild. Almost 1000 mm of precipitation falls annually. The average annual temperature is 9.4 degrees. In the cold season, fogs are frequent.

Story

Already in the 2nd century BC, there was a Celtic settlement in this place, which was later conquered by the Romans. The Roman settlement was probably named after Emperor Constantius I. The first mention of Constance dates back to 525. In the Middle Ages, the importance of the city increased significantly after the formation of the bishopric of the same name. In addition, the city lay on an important trade route from Germany through the Alps to Italy.

In the first half of the 13th century, after a stubborn struggle with the clergy, Konstanz received the status and privileges of a free imperial city. From this time on, the city's trade and economic power began to flourish. In 1312, Konstanz formed a City Union with three Swiss cities. In the 20s of the 15th century, the Council of Constance was held here, which was one of the most significant events of the Catholic Church, significantly changing its doctrine. In the late Middle Ages, the importance of the city gradually began to decline.

During the Thirty Years' War, Konstanz was besieged several times by Swedish troops and the garrisons of the Dukes of Württenberg. During the Napoleonic Wars, the city was occupied by French troops three times. Konstanz managed to avoid destruction during the Second World War. The city was occupied by the French almost without a fight.

How to get there

The nearest airport is Zurich. From Zurich to Konstanz you can take regular trains that run every hour. The nearest German airports are located in Friedrichshaven and. Konstanz has excellent train connections to Swiss cities, while getting here from other parts of Germany is much more difficult. There are direct trains from Karlsruhe, Ulm, Augsburg, Stuttgart. The city also has excellent accessibility by car. The A7 motorway leads from Switzerland to Konstanz, and the A81 from Germany.

Attractions

The most interesting sights of Constanta.

Münster is a cathedral and one of the main attractions of Konstanz. This oldest sacred building in the city arose in the 7th century on the ruins of a Roman fort. In the 11th century the church was rebuilt in Romanesque style. During its history, the church was rebuilt several times. The last significant reconstruction took place in 1953. Currently, the architectural style of the basilica is neo-Gothic. It was in this church that the Council of Constance took place.

Empire is a 9-meter statue located at the entrance to the lake bay, the work of the famous local sculptor Lenk. It was installed in 1993. The sculptural composition makes reference to the stories of Balzac. A half-naked maiden holds in her left hand the figure of Pope Martin V, and in her right hand - King Sigismund.

The City Hall is a historic building dating back to the 14th century. It served as a granary and warehouse. It is famous for the fact that Pope Martin V was elected here during the Council of Constance. This was the first and only election of the head of the Catholic Church north of the Alps.

The South Gate is a picturesque medieval city gate with a tower, one of the few surviving elements of the ancient fortifications of Constanta. They were built in the 14th century. They have a wonderful half-timbered facade. They are the southernmost border of the old city.

South gate from the opposite side.

The Rhine Gate and the Powder Tower are other unique relics of the Middle Ages. The ancient north gate with a 12th century tower, built to protect the ancient bridge. The Powder Tower was the cornerstone of the northwestern part of the city's fortifications and was often used as a prison. Also, a baroque sculpture of the Catholic Saint John of Nepomuk (Nepomuk) was previously installed here.

The Town Hall is a historic building in the Italian Renaissance style from the 16th century. Built on the foundations of medieval buildings. The facade paintings depict scenes from the life of the city.

The High House is a beautiful old building from the late Middle Ages. Decorated with numerous frescoes.

Nideburg is a historical area with a wonderful and romantic old-world atmosphere. This is one of the oldest quarters of Konstanz with narrow picturesque streets that are pleasant to walk along, ancient houses, cozy taverns and pubs.

The Lutheran Church is a religious building in the old town, built in the second half of the 19th century.

The Church of Christ is a late Renaissance Jesuit church built in the early 17th century.

A first-year student at the yellow headlines department, Morse invites the reader to the most anti-German city in Germany, Konstanz.

Konstanz is the most amazing city in Germany.

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First of all, no one works here.

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During daylight hours, a Constance resident (damn, what a word!) sits in one of the city’s four hundred street cafes and rinses a spoon in a glass of macchiato.

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Those who don’t get a spoon go to the embankment of Lake Constance and rinse their differently shaved legs in its cool water. Surely pissing off the Sea King.

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At night, an army of bouncers looks phlegmatically at the line of gods and dance angels storming the discos. Of course, after all, he who does not work has strength even for the night. Therefore, unlike an ordinary German city, Konstanz does not freeze at dusk. Waltz by day, techno by night. In the morning the waves of Lake Constance smoothly circle with sails to the melody of Strauss, at night they twitch nervously to the strobe light "umts-umts-umts"

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Are you pissing, boy? It’s okay, just eat mashed potatoes, and you’ll start shitting!

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Secondly, at the station and in other areas of the city the reader will not meet an army of bearded children from other mountains, although in Constanta there is a cathedral mosque and even gathers someone there.

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In some ways, in its anti-German atmosphere, Konstanz is similar to. The city to which I devoted as many as three reports. Konstanz will receive only one, because I still have a ton of interesting material about Switzerland and I need to somehow sort it all out before the summer. But there will be as many as 52 photos.

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Over the course of three days in Constance, I had a strong feeling that the god of fun, Bacchus, once flew over the city and accidentally dropped an amphora with the Holiday. Since then, the Holiday has spread throughout the city and is not going to dry up under the sun, which, by the way, appears here more often than over other German cities.

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The status of a resort city on the Riviera of Lake Constance allows you to feel the ear, eye and throat with a beautiful embankment seething with burlex, swirling with dance clubs and bustling with factories. So wait, no one works here, what kind of factories?!

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We just left the hotel and immediately found ourselves in a whirlpool of crowds. The crowd cheerfully raised cups of low-alcohol drinks to their heads and emptied bags of fried nuts...

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I was looking at new models of Swedish motor boats

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Clapping for the captains of the mini-steamers

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Or maybe she just enjoyed her place in Eden

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And beyond the horizon of the warm lake, new batches of German burghers, exhausted by plants and factories, trudged to the coveted Promised Land.

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While the lead of thunderclouds (or even snow!) hovered over the factory chimneys of mainland Germany, the trees were already in full bloom in this blessed land...

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Flowers exploded with bright fireworks

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The oldest hipster of the Soviet Union, the hero of arthropods and the god of artiodactyls, Nikolai Antilopovich Drozdov, who moved here for a well-deserved old age, sold his memoirs about animals

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Memoirs about animals were a success

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And the local young furies in the most undiplomatic way exposed what all other German women usually hide all year round behind a layer of stockings, tights, jeans, sweaters and down jackets

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Furies of the Victorian age are not far behind

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And above all this shameful, as for the city in which 700 years ago they elected the Pope (the only time in history in the region north of the Alps), She rises - the Empire!

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A courtesan, a vestal virgin and let's be honest - a slut! A nine-meter, 18-ton (although let's not talk about weight when we're talking about a lady!) statue of a woman with very invigorating curves. At the same time, Madame also spins on her pedestal, presenting to all sides of the world the greatness of her breasts.

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The Empire holds two disgusting-looking dwarfs by the balls. This is Pope Martin the Fifth and Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. The creator of “Empire,” sculptor Peter Link (generally an interesting guy, we’ll need to bring him together in a post-battle against the Prague resident David Cerny) refers us to the great Honore de Balzac, who wrote a satirical story about a significant event in the history of Constance - the Church Council of the early 15th century , when the church schism was over.

How, reader, are you not getting it? In short, I’ll quickly explain it in my fingers. Those dark times, when people had the misfortune of going to the wooden push without an iPhone, passed under the motto of the war between secular and ecclesiastical authorities. The apotheosis of this war was the simultaneous presence of three active Popes, moving towards absolute power in Catholicism by various influential forces. This split is called church schism in history books. The very dwarf on the arm of the Empire - the German Emperor Sigismund - put an end to this disgrace. In the city of Constance, he gathered all three Popes with a call to identify Starshak. Three Popes gathered in Konstanz in the hope of outpacing each other. As a result, all three were deposed and the cardinals chose a fourth - Pope Martin the Fifth (the second dwarf on the arm of the Empire). Balzac and Link ridiculed all this disgrace, putting the eggs of both powers into the hands of the Courtesan of the Empire.

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The large house in the photo is the building of the Konzil Trading Court, where the same conclave took place. Ahead is a monument to a native of Konstanz - Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the inventor of airships. By the way, airships in the sky are the trademark of the city. There are a lot of them flying here.

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In addition to all the events described above, Konstanz is also included in the tablets of History as the place where John Hus was burned. The preacher and reformer of the church died at the stake of the Inquisition in Constance just during the Council. A memorial stone now stands on this site. Who doesn’t know, Jan Hus is that progressive man, indignant because of whose murder the bearded Czechs sat on their carts and rolled all the knights of Europe on the grass for almost half a century.

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In addition to Huss, Konstanz is also related to Prague by the Powder Tower of the same name (there is another Schnetztor tower in the photo, but who cares?) and the Swedes, who, as in Prague, came here during the Thirty Years' War and made a fuss on the bridge.

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In general, it’s a gift that Konstanz is such a party animal, in fact, he is a respectable old dad. These pavements were trampled by the sandal of a Roman legionnaire. And the gray walls of Münster Cathedral, near which young people are now sipping Aperol through a straw, have been standing here for 1,200 years.

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Anyone who was a nerd at school and looked at the world through the thick diopters of a learned fifth-grader can exchange the cool harbor of Konstanz for the shady streets of the Altstad district. Here, from the pages of the History textbook, the Middle Ages flowed out and remained forever.

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Looking at these inscriptions, one is tempted to go into the entrance and ask: “Grandpa, are you really that ancient?” And the answer will be only a slight hiss from the ThyssenKrupp elevator automation.

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I noticed for myself that the closer to the south, the more often recidivist houses, tattooed with “domes and stars” from the foundation to the chimney, fit into the skyline of medieval areas.

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And in the garden behind the City Hall there lives an amazing cat, who is the owner here and very meticulously examines visitors. The Owner has a bronze friend - a hunting dog, which was previously part of the ensemble of the Diana Fountain in the Parisian Fontainebleau and was presented to Constanta as a sign of fifty years of friendship between the sister cities.

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The Middle Ages of Konstanz is also valuable because, unlike most German cities, everything around it is not a new building, restored brick by brick after the aerial bombing of the Second World War.

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Despite the industrial importance of the city, Allied aircraft, pregnant with high-explosive bombs, gave birth over other cities on the Lake Constance coast, including mistakenly over the Swiss ones. What the hell? - the neutral Swiss were indignant. Oops, - the Americans replied, - that's an abbreviation. We thought that those who turn off the lights at night are the Germans, and you turn them off too. Since then, at night the Swiss have turned on the illumination at full blast, and so has the cunning Konstanz.

It’s a gift that Konstanz historically grew together with the neighboring Swiss town of Kreuzling as a single urban whole. And when they pulled modern borders, they literally stretched them across neighboring streets and even houses. So in some apartments you could brush your teeth in Germany, and spit into the washbasin in Switzerland.

Kreuzling itself is a rather contradictory advertisement for Switzerland: the Swiss city, built up with nondescript buildings and ugly high-rise buildings, looks out on the magnificent and rich German city of Konstanz. But self-sufficient Switzerland does not need any advertising and does not try to show off. If you don't like it, get out!

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The streets on the border are all called Customs: here and there you can see checkpoints with border guards between European Union Germany and non-Union Switzerland, and this is also such an attraction. Here's crossing the border.

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During the entire existence of human civilization, this transition is the best thing that was invented by a European. On the left is the country of Germany, on the right is the country of Switzerland. There are no machine gun nests, anti-tank ditches, dugouts or barbed wire between them. Only zebra. I really hope it stays that way forever. Despite everything.

And at the end, a little sketch for you. This is the LAGO shopping center.

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It houses a branch of the German chain grocery discounter Aldi. This inconspicuous branch has the largest turnover in Germany. Lolshto? In the hundred thousandth city of Constanta? Morsa made a mistake? Now look at the queue of cars at this branch. It is actually many kilometers long. Try to find at least one German number in it. You won't find it. They are entirely Swiss and Liechtenstein.

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Discover the Swiss sausage tourism page. The difference in the price of products in stores on both sides of the border can reach an order of magnitude. Therefore, every Saturday the whole of northern Switzerland packs up their tents and travels to Konstanz. If I'm not mistaken, snacks worth up to 300 euros can be transported without customs duties. That's all you need to know about the smart-ass Swiss people :-)

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And in the next report, Morsa will finally cut the saving German umbilical cord and enter Swiss soil, hostile to the skinny Euro-purse of the German burgher. Where an accidentally ordered bottle of mineral water can turn into a family default. But for the sake of the reader, I’m ready to starve!

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Other posts from Switzerland. It's simple - just click on the picture like on an iPhone.

DAMP HOLIDAYS IN SWITZERLAND