Christmas Markets in Konstanz

Konstanz is one of Germany's oldest cities, with roots stretching back to Roman settlement in the first centuries of the common era. Its position on the western tip of Lake Constance, straddling the German-Swiss border, gave it enduring strategic and commercial importance throughout the medieval period. The city is perhaps best known historically as the site of the Council of Konstanz, held between 1414 and 1418, a landmark event in Church history that drew thousands of clergy, nobles, and dignitaries from across Europe. Konstanz was spared destruction in the Second World War largely because of its proximity to neutral Switzerland, which is why its medieval streetscape and historic buildings survive in remarkable condition today. This well-preserved character gives the city an authentic atmosphere genuinely rooted in its past.