History

• 10th century AD - Fishing settlement on an island in the Wörnitz ('Werd', 'Wörth')
• About 977 - Construction of the first bridge over the Danube; growing strategic significance on the trade route Augsburg – Nuremberg
• 1030 - Market, currency and customs charters; rapid economic growth
• 1081 – 1218 - Construction of the fortifications; initially belonged to the Hohenstaufens, then to the Wittelsbach family
• 1193 - Town charter; biggest port on the Danube in Swabia and important transhipment point for salt
• 1301-1607 - Free Imperial Town of 'Schwäbischwörth'
• 1465 - Great Freedom Charter; commercial centre, Reichstrasse built
• 1607 - End of the glorious period as a Free Imperial Town
• 1714 - 'Peace of Rastatt': Donauwörth annexed to Bavaria
• April 1945 - Target of heavy bombing raids; 75 percent of the town destroyed. Today, the town has been rebuilt and expanded; old town preserved
• 1998 - Major district town ('Grosse Kreisstadt')