The ensemble "Old Town Regensburg with Stadtamhof"

The basis for Regensburg's application to be registered as a historic medieval city in the World Heritage list is the complete ensemble "old town Regensburg with Stadtamhof". Since 1945, Regensburg has been the only preserved medieval metropolis in Germany that continues to function as an urban entity. Regensburg's old town has kept the shape it took on in the early 14th century, as a glance at a city map will tell you.
Today, Regensburg boasts 150,000 residents. To protect the nominated area, a buffer zone has been defined surrounding the complete ensemble. This zone includes all those parts of the outer city centre that fall into the viewscape of anyone beholding the old town area.

In Central Europe, there is no other city so exceptionally able in its wealth of existing architecture to mirror the developments of the Middle Ages - whether political, economical or religious - as Regensburg. As a merchants' city located on continental trade routes, Regensburg was open to cultural influences. The riches of the trade city in the High Middle Ages and its role as a central political location in the Holy Roman Empire led to the growth of a unique city structure including medieval buildings of every type, design and function, and due to their state of preservation, we can still witness it all today.

Economy

Regensburg's patrician families, active across continents, showed off their riches by building the magnificent trade houses and towers of the 11th to 14th centuries. The fittings in these buildings mirror Regensburg's European dimension as a trade city. They also funded massive church buildings, which are among the most excellent of their time, both in their architecture and their fittings. Regensburg's cathedral is the only example of French Gothic cathedral style found east of the Rhine. It was mainly completed in the Middle Ages and retains its original substance. Germany's two largest mendicant order churches are also found in Regensburg.

The Stone Bridge over the Danube is considered an outstanding feat of engineering from the first half of the 12th century - the first bridge in Europe to make use of technical achievements from the classical age.

Politics

As early as the 8th century, the excellent location on continental traffic arteries made Regensburg into a meeting point for the Carolingian Empire. When the Eastern Carolingian Empire was consolidated in the 9th century, Regensburg entered a new centuries-long era as a main political meeting place for the new Central European state and its successor, the Holy Roman Empire. The Empire's permanent parliament in Regensburg (1663–1806) created a political instrument of this Central European conglomeration of power representing the entire Holy Roman Empire as the only other besides the Emperor himself. The excellently preserved old parliamentary buildings are a completely unique complex, letting you comprehend the political and international structures of the Holy Roman Empire up until its end in 1806 - like nowhere else in the world. This is enhanced further by the ambassadors' residences still in existence.

Religion

As well as its political role in the period following the Middle Ages, Regensburg also grew in religious significance. The city's key role in the spread of Protestantism towards southeastern Europe can still be seen in two monumental churches: the New Parish church (Neupfarrkirche) and the Trinity church (Dreieinigkeitskirche). The New Parish church is not only the oldest Protestant church in Regensburg, but also the mother church of the Lutheran Christians in southeastern Central Europe. In view of Regensburg's national significance as an imperial city for Lutheranism, the council decided in 1627 to build a new, large Protestant church. The Trinity Church was constructed and fitted entirely as a Protestant church for the city, and it became a prototype of Protestant church architecture in southern Germany.
During World War II, Regensburg was heavily bombed, but not in the central area within the medieval walls. Soon after the war ended, efforts were begun to preserve and restore the old town spared from destruction. It has always been all about preserving the entirety of the collection of historic buildings.
Regensburg's old town is recognised as the best-researched High Middle Ages ensemble on record. Today the Old Town of Regensburg together with the island Stadtamhof is home to 984 protected historic buildings.

Detailed information on the position of Regensburg an the world heritage site