It began, as did so many European cities, with a Celtic settlement: Radasbona, later Ratisbon, The Romans established a fort here in A,D, 90 and a larger fort in 179 under Marcus Aurelius. Rome regularly positioned forts along its boundaries (limes), and Regensburg was its northern=most fort on the Danube.
Regensburg developed into an important town in the Middle Ages and was given the status of a free imperial city, meaning that it was accountable only to the emperor and thus free of local regulations and taxes, which could be quite oppressive. The trade-off meant that the emperor could come at any time and be cared for by the city; but still the advantage of that status outweighed any imperial obligation, because local regulations and taxes could be administered capriciously.
When Charlemagne’s empire was divided among his three grandsons in 843, Regensburg became the capital for Louis the German. It gained prominence as a significant Christian center with three large monasteries established there. The city played a large part in the conversion of the Czechs to Christianity.
Regensburg was of significance to the Reformation. Martin Bucer, in his tireless efforts to achieve unity with the Catholics and preserve unity among Protestants, held one of his colloquies here. Colloquies were really a crisis between a discussion and a debate, an occasion for trying to work out differences. Representing the Catholics was Cardinal Gropper; Bucer was optimistic that he had a chance, but he failed to convince Gropper. The city, however, opted to join the Protestants, Regensburg tended to symbolize Bucer’s vision of unity, as it was officially a Protestant city, but with an archbishop and three monasteries located there.
In 1663, the imperial parliament met in Regensburg and continued to do so. Previously, imperial diets followed the emperor as he moved to different cities; but with the election of mostly Hapsburg emperors, Vienna tended to be the imperial capital, and Regensburg the secondary one. The Parliament was never dismissed, but died with the empire when Napoleon conquered in 1803. Regensburg continued to play a major role in events of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Walking from the ship into old town Regensburg is the medieval stone bridge, constructed in the 12th Century.
Along the walk, we discovered Villapark and the Royal Villa of King Maximillian II of Bavaria, who built the neo-Gothic edifice in this park as his Summer residence in the middle of the 19th Century.
Today, the former royal villa belongs to the Bavarian state and forms the backdrop for pleasant tours and Summer concerts.
The old bridge was the first stone bridge built across the Danube and made trade possible between Regensburg and other settlements to the North. Until the 1930s, it was the only bridge into the city.
Located directly on the Danube, near the bridge, is the Historic Sausage Kitchen – making and serving sausage since the 12th Century. The specialty of the kitchen is the fine fried sausages served with rolls made with caraway seeds, homemade sauerkraut and mustard.
A beautiful mural painted on the facade of an old building, now occupied by retail shops
The clock tower at the town side of the bridge
In front of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Regensburg is a fountain topped with the statue of an eagle – prominent in Bavaria.
St. Peter’s Cathedral, also known as Regensburg Cathedral, is an example of Gothic architecture, opened in 1520. It is a landmark for the city and the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Regensburg.
St. Peter’s is one of the only true Gothic Cathedrals in Bavaria.
The seal on the ceiling of the cathedral honors King Ludwig I of Bavaria.
The magnificent organ pipes of St. Peter’s
In the crypt of the cathedral are the tombs of several bishops.
This plaque displays the names of all of the bishops buried in the crypt.
The equestrian statue of King Ludwig I
The old town hall of Regensburg
The Porta Praetoria, the old Roman gate of Regensburg, constructed in 179 A.D., still stands and is a highlight of the city.
Another section of the old Roman wall, the Castra Regina, or “Fortress by the River Regen“ housed up to six thousand soldiers from the Third Italic Legion, meant to provide security in the northern imperial province of Ratia.
This beautiful clock tower features the medieval gate into the city.
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