Bregenz is a city in Austria, the capital of the federal state of Vorarlberg and the seat of the Bregenz district. It lies on Lake Constance, at the mouth of the Bregenzer Ach, at the foot of the Pfänder Mountain, part of the Bregenzer Forest massif in the Northern Limestone Alps. Bregenz is the only major Austrian city on Lake Constance, nestled between Germany and Switzerland. It is the seat of the Vorarlberg state assembly and numerous local institutions, as well as the consulates of Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Turkey. The city also houses a military garrison and the headquarters of the state military district, the Vorarlberg state police headquarters, a hospital, a sanatorium, elementary schools, several middle and high schools, a museum, a library, and an art center.
- Bregenz, on the shores of Lake Constance, attracts attention with its Bregenz Festival and its exciting modern architecture. Bregenz on Lake Constance has always benefited from its location, using the third-largest lake in Central Europe as a natural link to neighboring countries. For 2,000 years, Lake Constance has brought trade, ideas, and cultural exchange to the city, making it a place where tradition and progress go hand in hand. This is also reflected in the latest strength of the capital of Vorarlberg: modern architecture. International architects such as Hans Hollein, Jean Nouvel, and Peter Zumthor have left their mark here, but it is the “architects of Vorarlberg” who emphasize the connection with nature through clear lines and abundant wood. Their buildings characterize not only the cityscape but also the surrounding area and reflect the region’s approach to life: down-to-earth yet cosmopolitan, traditional yet future-oriented. This interplay of the Lake Constance landscape and the clear, simple architecture gives Bregenz its unique character.
- Information.
- Population: approx. 29,600 (as of 2024)
- State: capital of Vorarlberg
- Area: approx. 29.50 km²
- Elevation: 427 m above sea level
- Viewpoint: Pfänder (1,064 m above sea level)
- The Bregenz Festival inspires anew every year with spectacular backdrops, high-class productions, and goosebump-inducing moments right by the water.
- Festival. Since 1945, the Bregenzer Festspiele has been held here annually in July and August. Since 1980, some performances have been held in the specially built auditorium of the congress and festival center. In 2010, two operas by Mieczysław Weinberg were performed here: “The Passenger,” performed for the first time on stage, and “Portrait.” In 2013, an opera by another forgotten composer of Polish origin “The Merchant of Venice” by Andrzej Tchaikovsky – was performed here.
- Economy. Of the nearly 15,000 employed (1991) residents, the majority work in small service and commercial businesses, as well as in the local textile industry, glass processing, machine construction, and furniture fittings. The city’s attractive location makes it a year-round tourist and sports center: hiking and cycling are possible here for a significant portion of the year (there are numerous hotels and mountain huts in the city and surrounding area), water sports are popular in summer, and winter sports, including downhill skiing, are popular in winter – a cable car takes you to Pfänder Mountain.
- The center of Bregenz is Kornmarktstraße, which on Easter Sundays is more of a pedestrian zone than a regular street. Along it are pubs and various attractions, such as the regional theater and the Vorarlberg Museum. I didn’t see any souvenir shops or anything like that, but it’s possible that such places are simply closed for Easter. Also on Kornmarktstraße is the small Johannes Nepomucky Chapel, with a plaque commemorating the visit of the last imperial couple – Charles I and Zita – to Bregenz in 1917. In general, I’ve been incredibly lucky to visit churches in this city. I was afraid that, as is usually the case on major religious holidays, it would be closed.
