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Donauwörth

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Städt. Tourist-Information
Rathausgasse 1
86609 Donauwörth
+49 (0) 906 789-151
tourist-info@donauwoerth.de
to the website

An experience in every direction

The former Free Imperial Town of Donauwörth lies in the centre of the Romantic Road at the confluence of the Wörnitz with the Danube and developed from a fishing settlement on the ‘Ried’ island in the Wörnitz. Forming a magnificent axis between the town hall and the Fuggerhaus in the historic old town is the Reichsstrasse, one of Southern Germany’s most attractive streets lined with imposing patrician houses.

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’)

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Städt. Tourist-Information
Rathausgasse 1
86609 Donauwörth
+49 (0) 906 789-151
tourist-info@donauwoerth.de
to the website