Dominicans Island
Native name: Dominikanerinsel | |
|---|---|
 Dominican Island on the left, withSteigenbergerisland hotel; theOld Rhine Bridgeis visible in the centre of the image | |
 | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 47°39′51″N9°10′42″E/ 47.66417°N 9.17833°E |
| Area | 0.018318 km2(0.007073 sq mi) |
| Length | 0.246 km (0.1529 mi) |
| Width | 0.100 km (0.0621 mi) |
| Administration | |
| State | Baden-Württemberg |
| Landkreis | Konstanz |
| Große Kreisstadt | Constance |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 21 |
TheDominican IslandorConstance Island(German:DominikanerinselorKonstanzer Insel)[1]is anislandinLake Constanceimmediately east of the city ofConstance.With an area of 1.8hectares,it is one of the smaller islands in the lake. The island is separated from the city center by a six-metre-wide (20 ft) channel, and connected to it by a bridge. The island is dominated by theSteigenbergerhotel, which is housed in the formerDominicanconvent.
Geography
[edit]The Dominican Island, 246 m long from north to south and up to 100 m wide.
The channel that separates the island from the mainland is 210 m long, but only 6 m wide. The channel is on the western side of the island; opposite the island is the Niederburg section of the old city center. The channel used to be much wider[2]and was partially filled for the construction of the railway line. The island is barely recognizable as such because the narrow channel is visible only to pedestrians walking on the wharf along the old waterfront.[3]The Constance railway station and the port are about 600 m south of the bridge. The road to the railway station leads past the city park.
In the south, the swan pond lies between the island and the city park. The city parks sits on a piece of the lake that was filled in during 1880. Even after this water was filled in, the Swan Pond is not completely surrounded by land. In the northwest, the pond abuts the city canal; is the southeast, the pond is separated from the open lake by a 15 m wide bottleneck. This compound falls dry at low tide. The Swan Pond is almost 90 m long and up to 30 m wide, it covers an area of about 1,800 square feet.
The northern tip of the island is located 30 m from theOld Rhine Bridge,at the point where theSeerheinflows out of theUpper Laketowards theLower Lake.Thechapter houseis located to the north of the main building. The hotel car park separates the two buildings.
To the east of the island is theConstance Hopperpart of Lake Constance. Here we find the famous terrace of the hotel's restaurant, as well as, further south, the hotel's lido and recreation lawn. At the southern end of the lawn, there is apavilion.
In the central building of the hotel, we find the grave ofManuel Chrysoloras,who died here during theCouncil of Constance.[4]
The island belongs tourban districtAltstadt( "Old Town" ). On 31 December 2008, 21 people reported having their principal residence on Dominican Island.[5]
University of Konstanz
[edit]TheUniversity of Constancewas founded in 1966 and was initially housed in the south wing of the convent building.[6]The south wing was the temporary seat of the university,[7]which was spread out to various buildings in several parts of the city, until the newly commissioned buildings on the Giesberg were ready. Even today, the hotel building is frequently used for lectures and meetings of the University of Constance[8][9]and for events organized by the Constance European Colloquium.[10]
History
[edit]Early history
[edit]At the southwest of Lake Constance and in the present city of Constance, the remains of aNeolithicvillagehave been found at some distance from the shore. Such finds have also been made in the swan pond between the southern shore of the Dominican island and the city park created in 1880. Fragments and wood were discovered, and traces ofstilt houses.They were dated between the fifth and the third millenniumBCE.[11]
Other shore settlements in theConstance Hopper,also stilt houses were dated to the Neolithic period around 2200 BC to 1800 BC.[12]
At the end of the second Century BCECelticpeople lived in fishing settlements on the territory of Constance and on the Dominican island.[12]
Roman History
[edit]
TheRoman rulein the area around Lake Constance started in the year 15CEwith the conquest ofAugustus.The Celticoppidumwas destroyed. The area then belonged to theprovinceRaetiauntil the end of Roman rule around the year 400.
In the year 207, EmperorSeverussent governor Constantine into the area. Constantine set up his headquarters inPfynin today'sThurgau.He also set up a well-fortified hunting lodge on Dominican Island. He granted freedom of trade, which led to settlement forming around his hunting lodge, forming an additional layer of protection against his enemies, who included Alman von Stoffen, a Hungarian ruler, and an early Bavarian Duke.[13]Although one could consider this Roman settlement as the earliest beginning of the City of Constance, the city was not named after this Constantine, but a4th century emperor.Constantine was killed in an accident with a frightened horse and his enemies destroyed the castle and drove away most of the inhabitants of the island.
The castle was probably rebuilt subsequently. However, when theAlemanniexpelled the Romans in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, the castle was destroyed again, so people would not be reminded of the hated Roman rule.[14]
Early Middle Ages
[edit]Little is known about the history of the island during this period. According to legend, the island is home to a castle ofMerovingianhave.
In 780Charlemagnewas a guest on the island while travelling in the area.
In 1100, bishopGebhard (III) of Constancesought refuge on the island during theInvestiture Controversy.[15]
Dominican Monastery
[edit]According to various sources, the island was handed over to the Dominicans in 1220, and in 1234 was assigned as a location to build a monastery by an order of the prince bishopHeinrich von Tanneof Constance. The monastery was established in 1236.[12][16][17]
TheChapter House,25 m north of the monastery, was built long before the founding of the monastery.[18]The first chapter house in the world was built inWorcesterin 1110.
Around 1300, the mystic and poetHeinrich Susowas born in Constance. He became afriarat theDominicanconvent on the island.
At the beginning of theCouncil of Constance,from 6 December 1414 to 24 March 1415,Jan Hus,considered the first Church reformer as he lived beforeMartin Luther,CalvinandZwingli,was held in thedungeonof the monastery. This was in the basement of the round tower on the eastern side, overlooking the lake, next to the Dominicans' dining room. During the Council, the French delegation was housed in the chapter house.
In 1507Maximilian Iorganized celebrations in the garden on the island during theDiet of Constance.[15]From 1528 to 1549, the convent was used by the city ofConstanceas a temporary hospital. It was then returned to the friars. In 1633, during theThirty Years' War,the Swedish fleet attacked the island.[15]
In 1785 the friars were finally driven from the island by the Austrian EmperorJoseph II,because a thriving industry was closer to his heart than the mendicant friars. On 26 July 1785 the last Mass was celebrated in the church on the island, and the convent closed the following the day. Other monasteries in the area were also closed.[19]
References
[edit]
Footnotes
[edit]- ^Internationale Gewässerschutzkommission für den Bodensee (eds.):Der Bodensee. Zustand – Fakten – Perspektiven,IGKB, Bregenz, 2004,ISBN3-902290-04-8,p. 9, table 1.2-1: Kenndaten zum Bodensee (OnlineArchivedMarch 30, 2012, at theWayback Machine)
- ^Otto Feger:Kleine Geschichte der Stadt Konstanz,1957
- ^Heinz Finke:Inselspaziergänge. Werd Liebesinsel Reichenau Mainau Dominikanerinsel Lindau,Constancd, 1990, p. 20
- ^Geography and statistics of the Grand Duchy of Baden according to the latest provisions until 1 March 1820atGoogle Books
- ^Result of a search in the register of the city of Constance on 4 May 2009 for the street addressAuf der Insel 1
- ^History of the University of KonstanzArchived2012-03-28 at theWayback Machine,uni-konstanz.de
- ^Konstanzer EuropakolloquimArchived2012-03-28 at theWayback Machine,uni-konstanz.de
- ^Lectures on biologyArchivedJuly 10, 2010, at theWayback Machine,uni-konstanz.de
- ^International Conference of the Department of Media StudiesArchivedFebruary 9, 2012, at theWayback Machine,uni-konstanz.de
- ^Calendar of Events at the University of Konstanz[permanent dead link],uni-konstanz.de
- ^The first settlers[permanent dead link],labhard.de
- ^abcChronicle,alt-konstanz.de
- ^Johann Marmor:Geschichtliche Topographie der Stadt Konstanz und ihrer nächsten Umgebung: mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Sitten- und Kulturgeschichte derselben,Constance, self-published, 1860, p. 5
- ^Johann Marmor:Geschichtliche Topographie der Stadt Konstanz und ihrer nächsten Umgebung: mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Sitten- und Kulturgeschichte derselben,Constance, self-published, 1860, p. 29-30
- ^abcSteigenberger (Constance)Archived2009-09-05 at theWayback Machine,Historische Gasthäuser in Baden
- ^Steigenberger – Rôle in historyArchived2012-04-25 at theWayback Machine,Historic Inns in Baden
- ^Johann Marmor:Geschichtliche Topographie der Stadt Konstanz und ihrer nächsten Umgebung: mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Sitten- und Kulturgeschichte derselben,Constance, self-published, 1860, p. 30
- ^Heinz Finke:Inselspaziergänge. Werd Liebesinsel Reichenau Mainau Dominikanerinsel Lindau. Constance, 1990, p. 109
- ^Johann Marmor:Geschichtliche Topographie der Stadt Konstanz und ihrer nächsten Umgebung: mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Sitten- und Kulturgeschichte derselben,Constance, self-published, 1860, p. 34
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| Uninhabited | ||
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