Germany: Regensburg

June 17 - 20: We are visiting Regensburg, one of Europe's best preserved medieval towns, where I will be presenting a research paper at a real estate symposium hosted by the University of Regensburg. Despite being a Unesco World Heritage site, Regensburg remains somewhat obscure to many foreign visitors. The architecture of Regensburg testifies to its long history and past grandeur, which reached its peak by the beginning of the Gothic era.

Location: South-east of Germany (1.5 hours from Munich airport) . Regensburg is a city of churches; it was once the focal point from which Christianity spread throughout Germany and even into central Europe.

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Be taken back in time as you walk the cobblestone streets of Regensburg – Bavaria's medieval jewel, and a place so precious it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's architecture dates as far back as 179AD. Churches, abbeys, bridges, and houses contructed in the 11th to 13th centuries are ubiquitous in this ancient city. Highlights include the ancient Roman Fort Regina and the Old Town Hall from which Charlemagne ruled the Holy Roman Empire. The Old Town lies on another one of Europe's historic treasures, the beautiful Danube River. Spanning three countries, it made Regensburg one of the gateways to the West from Eastern Europe.

photo: picturesque Steinere Brucke leading to the old town of Regensburg

History: The area of Regensburg was once a Celtic settlement and later a campsite of the Roman legions. In the early 6th century, Regensburg was the seat of the Agilolfa ruling family. In AD 739, a monk named Bonifaced established a bishopric here. The town was the center from which Christianity spread over southern Germany. From AD843, Regensburg was the seat of the Eastern Frankish ruler, Ludwig the German. From 1245 it was a free town of the Holy Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages remained South Germany's fastest growing commercial and cultural centre.

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The first and foremost capital of Bavaria, Regensburg was the residence of dukes, kings and bishops. One of it's most well-known residents more recently is Oskar Schindler, whose achievements were commemorated in the Speilberg's epic Schindler's List.

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sources: Frommer's Germany 2009; Eyewitness Travel Germany; Lonely Planet Germany