RegensburgThe imperial city of Regensburg lies on the most northern point of the Donau (Danube) and has the same cultural significance for the early and high Middle Ages as Nürnberg and Augsburg do for the later centuries. It was originally a Roman garrison town guarding the natural frontier of the Danube. It had the rare privilege of being the seat on occasion of the plenary session of the Imperial Diet (Reichstag) which was charged with keeping internal peace and external security for the immense and confused federation of states which formed the Holy Roman empire. The founding of the Duchy of Austria in 1156 and the handing over of Bavaria to the Wittelsbach were two of many events in German history solemnized in Regensburg. From 1663 it became the seat of a perpetual diet, the first indication of a permanent German parliament. This same diet, sitting in the town hall, agreed in 1803 to the territorial reorganization of Germany ordered by Napoleon. The town center has not been touched by war since 1809, when Napoleon was wounded beneath its walls. The city has a striking number of religious buildings of all styles. Regensburg is also noted for the 13th and 14th century Italian style towers erected by prosperous merchants. You will get the most beautiful view of the city from the Steinerne Brücke (310 m, 12th c), a masterpiece of medieval engineering. (note the salt warehouse with a large roof flanking the fortified gateway [Brückturm] at the end of the bridge). The gothic Dom was unfortunately under renovation during our visit - they had just recently discovered a Roman mosaic under the basement.
