OLD TOWN (ALTSTADT)

Interesting buildings in the old town include the Upper Town Gate near the St Martin's Tower, which bears the coats of arms of the Counts of Bregenz (with fur and porpoise frieze) and those of Vorarlberg. On the outside, the "Epona Stone" of Celtic origin, a copy of a goddess who protects horses, can be seen in the Regional Museum. Next to the tower, you can see the old half-timbered town hall (1662) and the old prison, a large building from 1857 erected on the ruins of the Montfort-Bregenz castle and which today houses the Office of Historical Monuments as well as the Compagnons hospital, with its turret and its beautiful fresco on the façade. On the pretty Ehre-Guta square, the Montfort fountain is the subject of an annual ceremony, called the "washing of the purses". Celebrated on Ash Wednesday, this traditional event is followed by a recitation, in verse, of all the highlights of the past year. Next to the fountain, the Deuring Castle, designed by the famous architect Michael Kuen, bears the names of former mayors on its façade. Nearby, the Thurn und Taxis palace, which belonged to the Thurn und Taxis family until 1915, can be seen. It became the property of the municipality and was converted into the Künstlerhaus, an artists' studio where temporary exhibitions are regularly held. Its beautiful park, where you can enjoy a stroll in the summer, has various exotic species.