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| Lloyd Reeds Map Collection |
| Flying Camera Satellite Images 2001 |
Flying Camera Satellite Images 2001
SAN JOSÉ (Flying Camera Calendar, January 2001) N 09o 56', W 084o 04'
San José is the capital of Costa Rica and, with its population of 324,000 (estimated 1996), is not only the largest city but also the cultural and economic center of the country. San José is situated in the central highlands, the so-called "heartland", at an elevation of 1,170 m. Approximately 60% of all Costa Ricans live in the highlands, favored by moderate climate conditions which provide excellent conditions for coffee farming and production. In spite of its current size and significance, San José is a relatively young city. It was called Villa Nueva de la Boca del Monte when it was founded in 1736 and developed only slowly at first. 15 years after its settlement, San José comprised as few as 26 buildings. It was not until the beginning of the 19th century, when coffee quickly gained popularity among all the classes in Europe, that the city began to grow rapidly and eventually surpassed the traditionally important centers of Costa Rica during the colonial era, such as Heredia and the old capital city of Cartago, in significance. Following its triumph over these two cities in a civil war, San José was made the capital of Costa Rica in 1823. Toward the end of the 19th century San José was by far the largest city in the country and continued to expand at an increasingly rapid pace as a result of booming coffee exports. It was the third city in the world to have electric street lights, the first city with a public telephone system, and the first city in Central America to mandate compulsory school attendance for all children. This trend toward rapid growth continued on into the first half of the 20th century; many magnificent buildings were erected, such as the national theater and the palace of justice. The fact that San José, in contrast to other regions such as nearby Cartago, has been spared destruction by heavy earthquakes has also helped to support this pace of development. Since the Second World
War, San José has grown at an uncontrolled pace. Outlying areas are continuously
engulfed by the city, and many old buildings have been torn down to make room
for unimaginative new construction. Constantly increasing traffic also causes
serious problems for the city. This is particularly the case in the old city,
where, true to its colonial heritage, grids of narrow streets dominate (center).
Nevertheless, San José's flair is characterized by its renowned symphony orchestra,
various ballet and theater groups, countless bars, restaurants, casinos, hotels
as well as its university; San José is not a beautiful city, but it remains an
attractive and very lively city with a surprisingly international atmosphere.
GÜSTROW (Flying Camera Calendar, February 2001) N 53o 47', E 012o 09' The Güstrow Basin, which is part of the hinterland of the Mecklenburg Seenplatte, a glacial lowland plain dotted with lakes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, owes its present gently rolling landscape to glacial processes which shaped the countryside during the Weichsel Glacial Stage. Numerous lakes in this region bear witness to the history of the shaping of this region. Nestled in this idyllic scenery, with its lakes, meadows, forests and fields, the city of Güstrow lies on a sandy expanse between the Nebel River and the Island Lake (Inselsee), so named because of the island it surrounds. Güstrow developed in the 13th century near the crossroads of two trade routes. In addition to the ducal castle and the cathedral, the city is characterized by its rectangular market square, the grid-like pattern of its streets as well as by the nearly circular shape of its outline. Güstrow was chartered in 1288 and, from 1555 to 1695, was the seat of the dukes of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, who rebuilt the old city fortress in the style of the Italian Renaissance as their residence and castle. The city's architecture is primarily characterized by the Gothic brick cathedral (begun in 1226), St. Mary's Church (14th century) and the classicistic city hall which tower above the neat and tidy historic town houses within the older parts of the city. The old ducal seat and trade center of Güstrow was formerly surrounded by fortifications, which are still visible in the form of a greenbelt surrounding the city and the town and castle moats. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the construction of connections to nearby rail and canal (Bützow-Güstrow Canal) networks laid the foundation for further economic and urban development in Güstrow. Modern Güstrow has grown far beyond the original boundaries of the old city. From the turn of the last century to the present, new areas of construction along the canal and railway line as well as to the north and south of the city reflect increasing demands for housing and economic growth in the region. Its close proximity to Rostock makes Güstrow an ideal location for various commercial and industrial businesses. Tourism is also an increasingly significant factor in the charming region which the artist and author Ernst Barlach chose as his home. DANUBE DELTA (Flying Camera Calendar, March 2001) N 45o 00',
E 029o 13' Claudio Magris, a contemporary biographer of the Danube, has claimed that the river does not actually flow into the Black Sea, that the Danube is really not visible at all. This satellite image shows, however, three channels and the fans of sediments which they deposit far out into the water: the Chilia to the north, the Sulina directly below, and the Sfânta Gheorghe 40 km further south. From there, a narrow dene extends toward the mainland, pointing toward the development of a coastal lake. Of the three channels, the Sulina Channel and its straightened course (around 1862) shows the effects of human intervention most prominently. Shipping was originally intended to be routed through the city of Sulina, but continuous sand deposition has proved to make shipping impossible. For this reason, Constanta, situated to the south of the delta region and with its canal connecting it with the Danube, has become the most important port in Romania. With a surface area of more than 4,000 km2, the delta is a young region, geologically speaking, with considerable annual growth in parts. Silt transported by the Danube is estimated at approximately 60 million tons per year. The delta is characterized by its water masses and is shaped by the contours of its fan-shaped dunes as well as by deep bays, such as the Lacul Razim (approximately 950 km2 large, left center). In addition, the delta is overlain by a maze of fluvial forms, such as the distinctly visible meanders of the main channels, which are connected with each other by canals, and numerous small lakes and ponds. The green and black mosaic of water holes and abandoned water courses, salt marshes, floating islands in reed thickets, wooded bottom lands and deciduous forest jungles stand in sharp contrast to the light-colored areas to the southwest. There, corn, wheat, sunflowers and grapevines flourish on the loess-covered Dobrogea peneplain (100 to 200 m). A continental climate provides annual precipitations of nearly 500 mm and widely varying temperature extremes. Nevertheless, various cultures have been interested in the delta since early times, beginning with Greek colonists in the 6th century B.C. and followed by the Romans, Byzantines, Genoese and Turks. They prized the favorable east-west location of the delta, although the jungle-like wilderness of the semi-aquatic landscape has always commanded great respect. Tourism now plays an increasingly significant role in the region; visitors are attracted not only to the beaches along the Black Sea coast but also by the nature reserves of the delta. This unique biosphere mosaic has been created to protect the habitats of snakes, turtles, otters, wildcats, sea eagles, and pelicans as well as over 300 species of birds. The delta acts as a refuge for migratory birds in spring and fall, and also provides raw materials, such as reeds for the production of cellulose, and rich fishing areas. WILLEMSTAD (Flying Camera Calender, April 2001) N 51o 42', E 004o 27' The small fortified town of Willemstad lies in a typical polder area of diked marshlands to the south of the Hollands Diep (lower left). Willemstad is part of the Dutch province of North Brabant and yet it has retained its character as a purely Dutch village which owes its unique appearance to the Dutch stadholder Maurits (1584-1625). As a concession to the inhabitants of Willemstad, he built the first Protestant church, an octagonal domed church, in the Netherlands there in 1607 (lower right center). Maurits also built the Mauritshuis, or Prinzenhof, (lower right), where he resided while hunting in the region. The building, thoroughly restored in 1973, now houses the town hall. Willemstad was named after Maurits' predecessor as stadholder, Prince William of Orange, the first Dutch stadholder. Adrian Anthonisz was commissioned by William to expand the polder village of Ruigenhil, which was settled after the dike was built in 1564, and converted to the town into a seven-armed, star-shaped fortification from 1581 to 1597. Each of the seven bastions (all visible in this view) was named after one of the seven provinces which comprised the Netherlands at the time. After the fortifications were abandoned in the 19th century, the ramparts were planted with trees. Willemstad was, however, able to retain its characteristic appearance as a well preserved 16th-century fortified city with a highly unique pattern of streets. All of the town's streets are broad and straight, making surprise enemy attacks virtually impossible. Many magnificent restored buildings line the street leading from the old harbor to the church, among them the old town hall built near the harbor in the style of the Renaissance (1620). The arsenal, built in 1793 near the old harbor entrance, and the white grain mill "d'Orange Molen" dating from 1734 on the other side of the ramparts are some of the scenic vestiges of the old fortifications. Willemstad never became a trading center or gained significance as a military fortification. Until approximately ten years ago the town was merely a sleepy fishing village. The construction and expansion of the new outer harbor (left), with its numerous berths for yachts, have now made it possible for tourism to become one of Willemstad's most important sources of livelihood. CHESAPEAKE BAY (Flying Camera Calendar, May 2001) S 38o 25', W 076o 20' Broad expanses of the East Coast of the USA comprise submerged shore lines which are characterized by funnel-shaped "drowned" river mouths (estuaries) and long stretches of barrier beaches (sand reefs). Bays and inlets which cut deeply into the surrounding countryside offered European discoverers easy access to inland areas and provided the first settlers with protected harbors. Delaware Bay (upper right) divides the states of New Jersey and Delaware; the Chesapeake Bay proper (center) dissects the state of Maryland and is spanned by a bridge to the northeast of Washington, D.C. Together with Virginia to the south and west as well as Pennsylvania to the north, these states are among the 13 original English colonies in North America, which declared their independence on July 4, 1776. Large seaports were often established at the narrow ends of the bay's tidal estuaries, due to the fact that their location made the inexpensive transport of goods by sea to inland settlements possible. The city of Baltimore was founded in 1729 on the upper western edge of the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Patapsco River and is situated near the transition from the coastal plain to the piedmont plateau with its numerous rapids, which provide hydroelectric power and attract industry. Short connections traverse the barriers of the Appalachian Mountains (upper left) and made the rapid exchange of goods with areas in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys possible at an early stage of American settlement. The Bethlehem Steel Corporation built the largest steelworks within the United States at Sparrows Point, a peninsula on the southern edge of the city. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (top) shortens the eastward shipping route to the sea by 250 km. The largest tidal estuary on the western edge of the Chesapeake Bay is formed by the Potomac River. It was there that, under the influence of George Washington, the first president of the United States, the city of Washington, D.C., was founded in 1792 and later became the capital of the United States in 1800. Washington, D.C., was largely built according to plans drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and the foremost author of the Declaration of Independence. The main axis of the city runs due east from the Lincoln Memorial along the Potomac River, past the Washington Monument, to the Capitol Building, and is flanked by museums and government offices along Constitution and Independence Avenues. The White House, the residence of the president, is located slightly to the north of this axis. The Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery are located across from Washington, D.C., on the western shore of the Potomac; Washington National Airport and the city of Alexandria, Virginia, lie to the south. BRYCE CANYON (Flying Camera Calendar, August 2001) N 37o 35', W 112o 10' Bryce Canyon is located in the state of Utah, an area well-known for its Mormon population, approximately 400 km south of Salt Lake City and can be reached via interstate Highway 15. The canyon is named after Ebenezer Bryce, a Scottish immigrant who was one of the first whites to settle the area in 1875. Paiute Native Americans had settled the region centuries earlier, hunting on the surrounding plateaus and living in the warmer valleys. Summers in the canyon are very hot, and winters bring heavy snowfalls. One of the Paiute name for the canyon means "red rocks which stand like men in a broad circle" and very accurately describes this fantastic array of figures carved out by natural forces. The continuous forces of erosion have shaped narrow fins which are then scoured to form individual pinnacles and spires. Over the course of millions of years, the canyon has been carved out of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, one of numerous High Plateaus in Utah. To the south, the giant steps of the "Grand Staircase" fall away into the surrounding countryside. The pink rocks of Bryce Canyon are the highest steps on the "staircase", which extend beyond the Kaibab Plateau to the northern edge of the Grand Canyon, where limestone, sandstone and mudstone create multihued palettes of weathered colors. Upon closer examination, the seemingly uniform pink formations prove to be a complex composition of light, dark and pale red tones. The hoodoos, pillars of rock left by erosion and usually of fantastic shape, often resemble figures of people's imaginations and have been given colorful names such as Thor's Hammer, Queen Victoria, Sinking Ship, The Alligator, The Hunter, etc. The first visitors came to the area to see the magnificent rock shapes around 1900, and tourist accommodations were built for them along the rim of the plateau. In 1928 Bryce Canyon was designated a national park following legislation introduced by President Warren G. Harding to preserve the natural beauty of the area. Today, more than 1.75 million tourists visit Bryce Canyon National Park each year to explore its 150 square kilometers of fantastic erosional shapes on foot or horseback. NORTHERN ALPS AND SWISS MITTELLAND (Flying Camera Calendar, September 2001) N 47o 12', E 008o 36' The region between the Rhine River (upper left) and Appenzell (upper right), the Pilatus (lower left) and the Glarner region (lower right) stretches from the northern Alps to the lower Swiss Mittelland (midlands). Numerous lakes which shine like jewels comprise the region and were shaped by the forces of Ice-Age glaciers, such as the Reuss glacier to the south and the Linth glacier to the north. Only the Sihlsee and the Wäggitaler See (lower right center) are reservoirs, constructed for the production of hydroelectric power. Glaciers have left their indelible imprint on the landscape: large cities have grown up on the top of end moraines, and the alluvial plains have been drained over the course of centuries. One example is the Linth Plain (right), which was drained until 1816 and is characterized by its patchwork patterns of fields. The Swiss Mittelland lies nestled between the Alps and the Jura Mountains and is a Tertiary sediment basin. The geological Alpine border extends from Lucerne to the Reuss River as it flows from the Vierwaldstätter See and further toward the Toggenburg to the northeast (upper Thur Valley). It divides the northern Alps, primarily composed of limestone with Helvetic nappes and vestiges of Pennine nappe structures, visible as crags and cliffs (for example, the Mythen), from the Pre-Alps. The Pre-Alps comprise two large regions: the higher Mittelland, primarily composed of pudding stone and with Rigi as its best-known point, and the lower Mittelland, which is dominated by sandstone and marl overlain by glacial sediments. The metropolitan area of Zürich, with its some 950,000 inhabitants, extends from its center at the end of the Zürich See in all directions: from both lake shores up into the surrounding hills, downriver along the Limnat, northward across Zürich Mountain and into the Glatt Valley, as well as west from Uetli Mountain into the Kronau region. Zürich's public transportation system has been consolidated since 1990. The patterns of the city's subway network underscore the true extent of Zürich's urban sprawl. It stretches to the Linth Plains (Ziegelbrücke) in the east, to Zug in the south, and as far as Schaffhausen and Waldshut to the north. This public transportation system offers a welcome alternative to Switzerland's network of motorways. In historic times the region has also played a significant role. The old Swiss Confederation grew from its original core around Rütli (left bank of the Urner See) toward Lucerne, northward to Zug and Zürich as well as eastward to Glarus. Control of the northern approach to the St. Gotthard route was of great political and economic significance in the 13th century and remains so today. DORTMUND - BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE FUTURE (Flying Camera Calendar, October 2001)
N 51o 31', E 007o 28' With its current population of some 600,000 inhabitants, the city of Dortmund comprises part of the heavily populated Ruhr industrial area in northwestern Germany. The original settlement was strategically located on the Hellweg, an important trade route which was later expanded by Charlemagne in the second half of the 8th century to serve as a military road and further fortified by the establishment of local royal residences. Dortmund flourished as a member of the Hanseatic League in the 13th and 14th centuries, profiting greatly from trade with England and Scandinavia. The city's early shape, typical of the outline of large medieval cities and originally fortified with ramparts and moats, is still clearly visible (center). Rich coal deposits in the region and the concomitant development of the iron and steel industry gave rise to a period of rapid industrialization beginning around 1840, which led to far-reaching structural transformation. Closely related to these changes are the processes of urban development, beginning in those parts of the old town dating from the Middle Ages. Typical of Dortmund is its grid-shaped pattern of streets built outside of the ramparts and densely populated housing areas. The paths traced by railways acted as guidelines for advancing industrialization in the region, such as the areas to the left and right of the Cologne-Minden railway, first opened in 1847 (upper third). Unused and partially cleared areas of a former iron works and steel mill in a fork of the railway (left) bear witness to increasing structural and land utilization changes during the past decades. This is particularly evident in the area next to the harbor on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, which opened in 1900. As it runs from west to east, Federal motorway 1 (Ruhr Motorway, lower third) divides the densely populated areas of the inner city from the open areas which extend to the Emscher River with the Westphalia Park (right center), the convention center and the rotunda of the Westphalia Hall as well as sports arenas (such as the soccer stadium with its roofed spectator stands, left). Impressive administrative complexes for insurance companies, the postal service and various industrial enterprises (beyond the edge of this image: the University, Technological Park, and Electronic Commerce Center) have been built in the direct vicinity of Federal motorway 1, which strongly emphasize the economic and infrastructural future of Dortmund. ARABIAN PENINSULA (Flying Camera Calender, November, 2001) N 25 00', E 045 00' At first glance, the Arabian Peninsula, or "Shibh al Jazirah" (almost an island), appears to comprise only monotone desert areas, but this view "from above" presents the region from an unaccustomed perspective; the peninsula, originally part of the African Plate and composed of crystalline basement and Paleozoic sediments, shows multifaceted relief. To the north the peninsula, 2.97 million km2 in size, gradually dips away toward the Syrian desert and the steppes of the Fertile Crescent. To the west, the Red Sea graben separates the peninsula from the parent plate; the Arabian Peninsula continues to drift to the east. The central Arabian cuesta landscape is composed of Jurassic and Cretaceous limestone and divides the western Arabian shield (Paleozoic basement) from the eastern Arabian shelf with its younger sediments. The sand arcs of Al-Dahna' connect the desert of An-Nafud to the north and Rub' Al-Khali in the south. To the east, limestone and calcareous sandstone as well as young loose sediments follow, gradually filling the subsidence zone of the Persian (also called the Arabian) Gulf since the Mesozoic era. The Omani highlands in the eastern region of the peninsula are, genetically speaking, part of the Zagros Mountains of Iran, from which they have been separated since approximately 17,000 B.C., when tectonic forces opened the Strait of Hormuz. Powerful volcanic activity reaching from the Gulf of Aden to the land of the Midianites on the Gulf of Aqaba formed and reshaped the fertile Yemeni highlands and the high plateau of Asir (‘Asir), which rise to altitudes of as much as 3,700 m, as well as the barren lava beds (harahs) of the Hejaz. With average annual precipitations of approximately 50 mm, the Arabian Peninsula is one of the most arid regions on Earth. The erosive forces of running waters, which carved valleys out of rock well into the Pleistocene era, have since dried up. The clearly visible wadis of Sirhan (to the northwest of Riyadh), Al Batin (to the northeast of Riyadh), Dawarsir and Hadramaut/Masila no longer carry water but, nonetheless, continue to act as focal points for permanent settlements. Originally, only the highlands of Yemen and Oman were able to support agrarian settlements and smaller trading oases in the Hejaz (Mecca, Medina) and the relatively hospitable regions of the central Arabian cuestas (Najd). Fresh-water sources along the Gulf coastline permit modest levels of oasis cultivation for traders and fishers. Riyadh (2.5 million inhabitants) is the only city visible at the center of the Arabian cuesta. The Tihama coastal plain along the Red Sea is usually too dry to support permanent settlement. The seaports of ‘Aden, Al Hudaydah, Jiddah and Yanbu' sprang up only after the advent of world trade (through the Suez Canal) and petroleum exploitation. Nature has not blessed the Arabian shelf with water, but has generously placed 45% of the Earth's petroleum resources there. Today, the majority of the approximately 48 million inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula lead comfortable lives in air-conditioned environments with good traffic, energy and water infrastructures, thanks to the oil riches of the region. THE SHRINE AT FATIMA, PORTUGAL (Flying Camera Calender, December 2001)
N 39 38' , W 008 40' In 1907, three shepherd children from the village of Aljustrel witnessed several appearances of the Virgin Mary among shrubs and gnarled trees in a remote region of what was then the barren plateau of Cova da Iria near Leiria (Estremadura). In addition to many admonitions, the children were given three messages to be passed on to the world. Two of the prophecies predicted the early deaths of two of the children and a war, which was to be followed by an even greater war. Parts of the third secret message have yet to be published by the Vatican. Twenty-three years later the Catholic Church approved the visions as authentic, and Portugal's largest and best known shrine grew during the ensuing years. The so-called "holy sites" now comprise the Pilgrims' Square, which is twice as large as St. Peter's Square in Rome. Surrounded by parks, the neoclassicistic church designed by the Dutch architect Gerardus van Kriechen commands the attention of pilgrims at Fatima. Construction began in 1928, and the shrine was consecrated in 1953. Shortly thereafter, Pope Pius XII. gave the church the title of "minor basilica". The top of the 65-m-tall church tower is adorned by a heavy bronze crown and a cross which is illuminated at night. The graves of the two visionaries, Jacinta (died in 1919) and Francisco Marto (died in 1920), who were beatified by Pope John Paul II during the "Holy Year 2000", are located in the transept of the basilica. Lucia dos Santos, the third of the children and cousin of Jacinta and Francisco, entered the Sisters of St. Dorothy in 1921 and became a Carmelite nun at the Coimbra Cloister in 1948, where she still lives as Sister Lucia de Jesus at the age of 94. The basilica is flanked by rows of columns as well as cloister and hospital buildings. A large fountain is visible at the central axis of the square. The Church of the Apparition is located to the left, under a gray, rectangular roof. This is the first chapel, which was built in 1918 on the site of the apparition of Mary and rebuilt after being heavily damaged in a bomb attack. The "High Cross" stands at the outer end of the central axis (lower edge) next to a statue of Pope Paul VI. The Way of Penance, a street paved with large polished marble slabs, stretches from this monument to the Church of the Apparition, highly visible as a white line against the background of black asphalt. The faithful approach the basilica along this road on their knees in an attitude of prayer and repentance. Today the basilica is visited by pilgrims from around the world. The village of Fatima, with its numerous hotels, guest houses and ubiquitous souvenir shops, has grown up around the "holy sites" in the years since 1920. COTOPAXI VOLCANO (Flying Camera Calendar, June 2001) S 0o
41', W 078o 26' On February 11, 2000, the Space Shuttle Endeavor was launched on an 11-day Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) with the goal of generating three-dimensional images of the Earth's surface between 60o north and 58o south latitudes for the first time ever. The mission incorporated X-SAR radar system technology developed by German and Italian space agencies, which consists of a transmitter and receiver in the space shuttle's payload bay and an outboard antenna mounted on a mast. This system receives two differing signals from each point on Earth. After completion of the mission, the astronauts, including the German astronaut Gerhard Thiele, returned to Earth with data amounts equivalent to that which can be stored on 17,000 CD's. The methods of interferometry were developed at the German Remote Sensing Data Center (Deutsches Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum, DFD) of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR) in Oberpfaffenhofen and are utilized in the production of Digital Elevation Models (DEM) throughout the world. It is possible to create an elevation model, such as this model of the Cotopaxi volcano, from image strips relayed from South America within the space of only a few hours after the completion of a shuttle flyover. Data gathered by the system is so detailed that it is possible to identify structures which are only approximately 20 m large. Rising to 5897 m, Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano, is located only 50 km to the south of Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, on the eastern edge of the inter-Andean longitudinal strike valley. This highly explosive stratovolcano is reported to have erupted some 60 times since 1532, and the last major outburst occurred in 1904. The most violent eruption was described in 1768, and Cotopaxi was said to have spewn ash as far as Guayaquil, approximately 320 km to the southwest. Cotopaxi's nearly perfect symmetrical cone is primarily comprised of volcanic ash with only small percentages of solid lava rock and is formed by two craters at the summit, an outer and an inner crater. The base of the volcano is approximately 23 km in diameter and rests on an older volcanic basement. The slopes of the volcanic cone are furrowed by numerous erosion channels. These furrows direct the course of the greatly feared mud flows (lahars) which emanate from the peak and bury entire villages in their path. The Andes, and with them the Ecuadorian regions of the Andes, form part of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire. In these regions of volcanic and seismic activity, the Pacific Plate is submerged under its neighboring continental plates. In this process, the subducted plate is melted, new lava is formed, chains of volcanoes rise up out of the Earth, and increased friction causes numerous earthquakes. Cotopaxi does not stand alone as an isolated volcano but, rather, is surrounded by other, albeit less active, volcanoes such as Rumiñahui (upper left) and Quilindaña (lower right). LINDAU, LAKE CONSTANCE - ISLAND AND COUNTY SEAT (Flying Camera Calendar, July 2001) N 47o 33', E 009o 42' Favored by its advantageous location on the eastern shores of Lake Constance, near the point where Germany, Austria and Switzerland now meet, the former Free Imperial City of Lindau has been an important trading center since the 13th century. Lindau's old medieval city center with its magnificent Gothic and Renaissance patrician houses and arcades bears witness to the past prosperity of the city. In 1802 Lindau lost its status as a Free Imperial City. In 1804 the city was incorporated into Austria and become part of Bavaria in 1806. Originally, Lindau comprised three islands which were divided by canals. In the 19th century, the canals were filled in; the lake bridge (Seebrücke) to the east and the railway embankment (1853) to the west were then built to connect the city with the mainland. Lindau's main attraction is its harbor with its ship mooring berths on the south side of the island. The harbor was rebuilt in 1811, and its entrance widened in 1856, framed by the Lion Jetty and the Lion's Tower with the Bavarian Lion on the one side and the 33-m-high New Lighthouse on the other side. The 13th-century Old Lighthouse (Mang Tower) remains a prominent city landmark on the north shore of the inner harbor, although it no longer serves as a lighthouse. To the right of the harbor, the Roman Baths and the Roman Redoubt adjoin the breakwaters of the yacht harbor. Along the southwestern shore of the island a narrow greenbelt divides the ramparts (Karlsbastion) from the Powder Tower and the Star Redoubt. Yacht moorings and boat rentals have established themselves along the shores of what is know as the "Little Lake" between the railway embankment and the bridge to the mainland. Lindau's "Inselhalle" Congress Center towers over them with its imposing red roof. The city's Municipal Garden and other park areas extend past the bridge to the Bavarian Casino, opened in 1950. The historic market square is flanked by the Protestant city parish Church of St. Stephan, built in 1180, to the north, the Catholic Church of the former Imperial Secular Convent as well as the Baroque patrician "Haus zum Cavazzen", which has housed the city museum since 1929. Further toward the yacht harbor, the Barfüßerpaltz appears, with its former Minorite cloister church, which has since been converted into a municipal theater and concert hall. To the west, the Reichsplatz (Imperial Square) and the Old Town Hall dating from 1436 with its magnificent 19th-century frescos on the façade come into view. The great hall on the second floor of the Old Town Hall was the scene of the Imperial Diet in 1496. Near the Schrannenplatz (Corn Market) to the upper right of the main train station, the multi-turreted peaks of the roof of the Thief's or Malefiz Tower are visible. St. Peter's Church stands beside it, one of the oldest buildings in the region surrounding Lake Constance, and houses the only known wall paintings created by Hans Holbein the Elder. Today the church serves as a war memorial.
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