'''Regensburg''' [http://www.regensburg.de/international/index.shtml/], in Bavaria, Germany, is one Germany's oldest towns, founded by the Romans in 179 A.D. Today Regensburg is a prospering city with about 150.000 inhabitants, 3 universities and many landmarks, most dated to the Middle Ages (e.g. the Cathedral of St. Peter, Old City Hall and Imperial Diet, and the Stone Bridge). Since July 2006 the old city of Regensburg has been a UNESCO world heritage site.

Understand

  • '''around 5000 B.C.''' neolithic settlement in the area of the town
  • '''1st millenium B.C.''' celtic settlement, ?Radasbona_g, ?Ratasbona_g or ?Ratisbona"
  • '''1st century A.D.''' Roman Fortress "Kastell Kumpfmuhl", destroyed around 170 A.D. by Germanic tribes
  • '''179 A.D.''' The Romans built the Fortress "Castra Regina" at the most northernmost end of the Danube river.
  • '''739''' A bishopric is established in Regensburg. Several older cathedrals are destroyed before construction of the present one begins in 1273, taking nearly 600 years to complete.
  • '''1146''' The ''Steinerne Bruecke'' (Stone Bridge) is completed. Trade connections to Paris, Venice and even Novgorod have made Regensburg a prosperous city.
  • '''1245''' Having been one of the largest German cities during the Middle Ages, Regensburg becomes a free imperial city.
  • '''1663–1806:''' Regensburg is the seat of the Perpetual Imperial Diet (Reichstag) of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.
  • '''1806:''' Holy Roman Empire dissolved in Regensburg during the Napoleonic Wars.
  • '''1995:''' 750th anniversary of free imperial city status.
  • Get in

    By plane

    Within 100 km there are two international airports, both linked by public transport systems or motorway connections:
  • '''Munich (IATA: MUC)''' By road via autobahn A93/A9 or by bus 635 from the airport to Freising and train from Freising to Regensburg Hauptbahnhof.
  • '''Nuremburg (IATA: NUE)''' via autobahn A3
  • Transfer time to both airports is about 45 min up to 1 hour.

    By train

    Regensburg Hauptbahnhof (main train station) is located in the city centre and splendidly connected to the German rail network by ICE-, EC-, and IC-trains:

    International connections:

  • Amsterdam/Brussels-Vienna-Budapest
  • Zurich/Paris-Prague
  • National Connections (hourly service):

  • Berlin/Dresden
  • Hamburg/Hanover
  • Dortmund/Cologne
  • Karlsruhe/Stuttgart
  • Munich
  • The main station also has a traveler-friendly infrastructure including several restaurants, a tourist's bureau and a Deutsche Bahn ticket and travel agency office.

    By car

    Regensburg is easily accessible via the German autobahn road network:
  • A3 (west-east) from Cologne/Frankfurt/Wuerzburg/Nuremberg via Regensburg to Passau/Vienna(A)
  • A93/A9 from Munich via Regensburg to Berlin/Dresden (A4)
  • A93/A6 to Plzen (CZ)/Prague (CZ)
  • There are also national highway connections to:

  • B8: Nuremburg - Neumarkt - Regensburg - Straubing - Passau
  • B15: Weiden - Schwandorf - Regensburg - Landshut
  • B16: Ingolstadt - Regensburg - Cham
  • By barge

    Regensburg is located on the Danube river leading to Vienna and the Black Sea. Via the Main-Danube Canal Regensburg is connected to the Rhine.

    Get around

    Regensburg has a comprehensive public bus network. Buses are frequent (10 minute intervals during peak hours) and run until around midnight every day. The centre of the bus network is the "Albertstrasse" station just opposite the train station. The city centre is reasonable compact and mostly pedestrianised, so is best explored on foot. There is also an "Altstadtbus" that travels around the old city centre, and from there to and from the train station. Driving in or into the city centre is very difficult, but anywhere else it's no problem to go around by car. Boat trips are available along the river Danube to explore nearby tourist attractions, such as the Walhalla.

    See

    The main attraction of Regensburg is its excellently preserved medieval city centre with the cathedral and the stone bridge being the highlights. As one of the few cities in Germany largely undamaged during the Second World War, Regensburg boasts the largest preserved medieval city centre in Germany. It is sometimes called "the northernmost city of Italy" due to the lively places and streets with lovely outdoor cafes during summer, as well as the large number of Italian-style medieval merchant houses and towers. The historic centre lies next to the river Danube (Donau), and crossing the medieval stone bridge into the town provides a perfect entrance to the city.

    Do

    The main thing to keep in mind is that the university and residential areas lie south of the rail tracks, the old town lies north of the the rail tracks and ends at the Danube river. Take one of the excellent guided tours such as "Stadtmaus" tours. Visit a mass in the cathedral on Sunday morning when the famous boys' choir "Domspatzen" is singing.

    Buy

    Regensburg made its fortune trading in salt, however it is unlikely that you will be taking this home as a souvenir. Regensburg has many centuries worth of old breweries, so perhaps some local beer, or perhaps a litre Stein (glass) would be a good purchase. Try some "Handlmeier Senf", the typical sweet mustard that is usually served with white sausages. If you need to kill some time at the train station, the footpath leading across the railway tracks also connects the train station to a shopping mall.

    Eat

    Regensburg has a superb variety of places to eat, from snacks, to traditional brewery fare, past international cuisine to high-class restaurants. There is sure to be something to please every taste. One famous place is the "Wurstkuchl" [http://www.wurstkuchl.de/], just at the Steinerne Bruecke (Stone Bridge), thought to be the oldest fast food restaurant in the world. There is a small beer-garden right at the river bank where you can enjoy the sausage specialties served by waiters in medieval dress. For Bavarian specialties, try the "Kneitinger" on Arnulfsplatz.

    Drink

    Although some wine is still grown on the river banks in Regensburg, its main drink is surely beer. The city boasts 3 functioning breweries and 2 brew pubs, producing a variety of beer styles, from lighter Pils to heavy Dunkels; Wheat beer (Weizen) is also locally made. A typical pub to visit would be the "Kneitinger" at the Arnulfsplatz 3. Also the beergardens near the Danube "Alte Linde" and "Spital Garten", both reachable from the Stone Bridge, offer a perfect way to taste Regensburg-brewed beer. The Bischofshof beer can be tasted next to the cathedral in the court of the "Bischofshof", where the brewery used to be.

    The beer from the Thurn and Taxis brand is primarily no longer brewed in Regensburg, but an exception is the Thurn and Taxis brew pub "Furstliches Brauhaus" in the Waffnergasse 6.

    Sleep

    There are a large number of hotels in the city. There is also a youth hostel and campsite on the "Oberer Whord", an island in the middle of the Danube, just north of the city centre. Contact the tourist office on the Alter Rathausplatz for help finding the accommodation you need.

  • Brook Lane Hostel in Obere Bachgasse is the typical backpackers place [http://www.hostel-regensburg.de/html/index.html]
  • Get out

    Munich, Bavaria's capital is 90 minutes away by train. Other historic cities of Passau, Landshut and Straubing make good day trips. Danube Gorge and Kloster Weltenburg.