Germany, Konstanz – Modern City on Lake Constance

Konstanz is the largest town on Lake Constance. It is a place where art is in harmony with nature. Also, it is a great place to start one-day trips around this lake bordering with three countries. If travelling from Prague, make sure you have enough time. However, the ride on the A6 freeway to Nürnberg and then Stuttgart goes quickly. Don't forget to turn to Reichenau which gets you on the A81 freeway. Once you get to Meersburg you can continue by ferry.

Konstanz is situated on the German side on the lake near the borderline with Switzerland. It is a city of 85 thousand people. Its climate is mild yet it is good place for recreation, water spart, active or passive rest. Konstanz works and maintains relationship with the Czech town of Tabor.

There is the Master Jan Hus memorial in Paradies, a district in the town. The Czech reformist and theologian was sentenced to burning for blasphemy in Konstanz on July 6 1415. The Hus stone is a memorial to this. It is surrounded with flowers. In 2015, the 600th anniversary of his burning was remembered.

Great part of the city is the port. There is "Imperia" which is an elegant statue made by Peter Lenk. He drew his inspiration from „La belle Impéria“ by Honoré de Balzac. The famela statue holds a figure of a king in one hand and a pope in the other. The content was discussed fervently. Christians did want to remove this artistic piece because they considered the woman figure unacceptable. "Imperia" is nine meters tall. However, it remained and it can guard the port of Konstanz all day and all night.

Get yourselves a crain before you visit downtown. There is the famous "Before I die..." wall - an art project of American artist Candy Chang. It soon became popular. Her sentence on a wall of a house in New Orleans. It became a worldwide project since then. First step is to choose a wall by which many people pass every day. Everybody can write his/her life dream on the wall. Candy was married and the love of her life died. Therefore, Candy contemplated the idea n great detail. She intended to bring in as many people as possible. She succeeded.

GPS: 47°39'55.3"N 9°09'48.0"E

Text and photos: Šárka Vacková