Lindau is a beautiful town in Bavaria, Germany. It's special because part of it is on an island in Lake Constance. The lake is called Bodensee in German.

Lindau is close to the borders of Austria and Switzerland. Its coat of arms shows a linden tree. Many people think the town's name comes from this tree. The historic island part of Lindau is small, about 0.68 square kilometers (0.26 square miles). It's connected to the mainland by a road bridge and a railway path.

The town is a popular spot for visitors. People love its old medieval town center. They also enjoy the amazing views of Lake Constance and the nearby Pfänder mountain in Austria.

A Look at Lindau's History

Lindau in winter

Lindau in the 16th century

The name Lindau was first written down in 882. A monk from St. Gallen mentioned that a nunnery was started on the island. But even before that, people lived here. Remains of an early Roman village from the 1st century have been found.

In 1180, St. Stephan's church was built. Later, in 1224, Franciscan monks built a monastery on the island. Lindau became an Imperial Free City in 1274–75. This meant it was a city that ruled itself, reporting directly to the Holy Roman Emperor.

In 1528, Lindau became a Protestant city during the Protestant Reformation. After the Thirty Years' War ended, a special event began. In 1655, the first Lindauer Kinderfest (children's festival) was held. It was a way to remember the war. This festival is still a very important part of the town's traditions today.

Lindau stopped being an Imperial Free City in 1802. This happened when the Holy Roman Empire ended. After some changes, Lindau finally became part of Bavaria in 1805.

Big changes came in the 1800s. In 1853, a path was built to connect the island to the mainland by railway. A new harbour was built in 1856. This harbour has two famous landmarks: a large lion sculpture and Bavaria's only lighthouse.

After World War II, Lindau was under French control for a while. But in 1955, it returned to Bavaria. Since 1951, Lindau has hosted the Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau. Many Nobel Prize winners come here each year for these important science meetings.

Fun Things to See and Do

The famous harbour entrance of Lindau

The back of the old town hall of Lindau

Lindau is a very popular place for tourists in southern Germany. The best time to visit is in spring or summer. This is when the gardens are in full bloom. People enjoy Lindau for its beautiful buildings and outdoor activities. You can go cycling, sailing, hiking, swimming, and camping here.

The Mangturm tower

Harbour entrance: See the lighthouse and the Bavarian Lion statue on Lindau Island.
Churches: Visit the Church of St. Stephan (built around 1180) and the Church of St. Peter (built around 1000). St. Peter's became a war memorial church in 1928.
Minster 'Unserer Lieben Frau': This was once the church of the 'Maria Himmelfahrt' monastery.
Maximilianstraße: This is the main street on Lindau Island. It's full of shops and restaurants.
Historic Town Hall: A beautiful old building with a rich history.
Gardens and Parks: Enjoy places like Lindenhofpark.
Haus zum Cavazzen Museum: Learn about the town's past here.
Boat trips: Take a boat trip on Lake Constance.
Lindau's Old Book Archive: See old books from the 15th to 18th centuries inside the historic town hall.
Hoyerberg: A great viewpoint with amazing views of the area.

Lindau's Economy

In the past, Lindau was an important stop on the trading route from Nuremberg to Italy. Fishing was also a big part of the town's economy. In the 1800s, Lindau was known for its textile factories. Today, tourism and manufacturing are the main industries. Lindau has a very low unemployment rate. This is because it has many different types of businesses. It is also close to the Alpine Rhine Valley.

Several large companies have offices or factories in Lindau:

Lindauer Dornier (makes textile machines)
Liebherr (electronics)
Continental AG (automotive technology)
Faurecia Automotive (car parts)

Many farms in Lindau grow apples, pears, and strawberries. They also make local products like Schnapps (a type of fruit brandy), wine, and fruit juices.

Parts of Lindau

Lindau is divided into several areas, or districts:

Central: The Island and Aeschach.
East: Reutin and Zech.
West: Bad Schachen and Unterreitnau.
North: Oberreitnau, Hochbuch, Hoyren, and Schönau.

Getting Around Lindau

Lindau Hauptbahnhof

Trains

Lindau-Insel station is the main train station. It's on Lindau Island, close to the harbour. A newer station, Lindau-Reutin station, opened in 2020 on the mainland. Both stations are active. You can take trains from Lindau-Insel to places like Friedrichshafen, Munich, Ulm, Augsburg, Bregenz (Austria), and Zürich (Switzerland).

Buses

Lindau has its own bus system called Stadtbus Lindau. Buses leave every 30 minutes and run until late evening. The local utility company, Stadtwerke Lindau, runs the bus system. You can also find regional buses and long-distance coaches here.

Roads

Lindau is connected to the Autobahn A96 (which is also E43). Other main roads include the B31 and B12. The A96 connects to the Austrian Autobahn A14. This road goes through the 7-kilometer-long Pfändertunnel. This tunnel was made bigger in 2013 to handle more traffic.

Airports

Lindau does not have its own airport. But it's close to Friedrichshafen Airport and Memmingen Airport. These airports mainly serve tourists and flights to other European cities. For bigger international flights, you can go to Munich Airport, Stuttgart Airport, or Zurich Airport.

Town Services

Lindau's local utility company is called Stadtwerke Lindau. They provide electricity, water, and internet services. They also manage public swimming pools and other important services for the town.

Internet and Phones

Stadtwerke Lindau is working to bring fast fiber-optic internet to businesses and new homes. Other internet options include cable TV and DSL. There are also plans to create public WiFi hotspots across Lindau Island.

New Projects and Developments

Lindau has many exciting projects planned to improve the city:

New Train Station: There are plans to build a new main train station near the Lindaupark shopping mall. The station on the island will also be updated. Both will stay open.
Electrifying Train Tracks: A big project is underway to electrify the train lines to Munich and Zürich. This will make train travel faster and more environmentally friendly.
Lindau Inselhalle: The town's main conference hall is going to be rebuilt.
Parking Garage: A new multi-storey car park is planned on the island, linked to the Inselhalle project.
Railway Underpasses: Lindau plans to build two underpasses for cars near the island entrance. This will help reduce traffic jams.
Company Expansions: Several companies are planning to expand or move to new locations in Lindau.
Broadband Internet: The local utility is installing fiber-optic internet across the city.
Public Bath Refurbishment: The main public swimming area, Lindau Strandbad, might be updated.

Schools and Learning

Lindau has several schools for different age groups.

High Schools: There are two main high schools: Bodensee-Gymnasium and Valentin-Heider-Gymnasium.
Middle Schools: There is one middle school for girls (Maria-Ward-Realschule Lindau) and one for boys (Staatliche Realschule für Knaben Lindau).
Primary Schools: Several primary schools are located throughout the town.
Kindergartens: Lindau recently built a new Kindergarten. This also includes a Kindertagestätte, which is a nursery for very young children (ages 2–3). There is a high demand for childcare in Lindau.

Shopping in Lindau

You'll find large shopping centers and supermarkets like Aldi, Lidl, and REWE off Lindau Island. But the Island itself has many unique shops. You can buy clothes, cosmetics, gifts, toys, antiques, and local products like cheese and wine. Lindau's main shopping mall is called Lindaupark. It has bigger stores like Müller Drogerie and a supermarket.

Festivals and Events

Lindau hosts many festivals and events, especially in summer (May to August), thanks to its beautiful location on Lake Constance.

U&D (Umsonst & Draussen): A free outdoor music festival with live bands.
Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau: A very important science event. Students from all over the world come to meet and talk with Nobel Prize winners.
Rund um den Bodensee: A sailing competition on Lake Constance.
Lindauer Oktoberfest: A local version of the famous German festival.
Lindauer Kinderfest: The traditional children's festival that has been celebrated for centuries.

Famous People from Lindau

Achilles Gasser (1505–1577): A doctor and historian.
Jacob Ernst Thomann von Hagelstein (1588–1653): A painter.
Janina Minge (born 1999): A footballer.

Local Food and Drinks

Lindau is known for its local wines and drinks. Many places called Rädlewirtschaften produce wines from local vineyards. Local farmers also make Schnapps from fruits.

Lindau's Climate

Lindau has four distinct seasons. It's in a temperate climatic zone. The town is surrounded by mountains and a freshwater lake. Winters can be cold, sometimes reaching as low as −20 °C. In very rare cases, the lake can freeze enough to walk or even drive across it. Summers are usually warm to hot and often humid because of the lake.

Heavy storms, rain, and thunderstorms are common in summer. Strong winds can also occur. The lake is usually calm, but there's a warning light system for boats if bad storms are expected. You can often see snow on the surrounding mountains, which helps predict the weather. Lake Constance is about 400 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level.

Twin Towns

Lindau is twinned with these cities:

Serpukhov (Russia)
Chelles (France) – This twinning started in 1964, thanks to French soldiers who returned after World War II.
Reitnau (Switzerland)

Images for kids

In Spanish: Lindau para niños

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