Constance — Jan Hus's Prophecy

Your journey begins at the Konzilgebäude Konstanz, built between 1384 and 1388 to host the cathedral chapter's assemblies. It was here, in this 50-meter-long main hall, capable of accommodating up to 4000 people, that Antipope John XXIII was deposed on March 29, 1415, a central event of the Council of Constance. This monument, restored in a Neo-Gothic style between 1905 and 1911, was the main seat of the debates that ended the Great Western Schism, marking the beginning of a new era for the Church and the city of Constance.

Next, head to the Konstanzer Münster, this majestic Gothic cathedral whose construction began in 1380, and whose main tower was completed in 1856, reaching 74 meters. It was in these sacred places that Jan Hus preached on November 9, 1414, shortly before his arrest, defying ecclesiastical authorities. The cathedral, 102 meters long and adorned with 12 bell towers symbolizing the apostles, also houses Germany's oldest astronomical clock, installed in 1543. It is an essential site for understanding the ecclesiastical reforms debated during the Council of Constance.

Your path leads you to the Marktstätte Konstanz, the historic market square since the 13th century, a true medieval commercial center of Constance. Surrounded by 15th and 16th-century gabled houses in a bourgeois Gothic style, this square was unfortunately the site of public executions in the Middle Ages, including that of Hussites between 1415 and 1420. The Fountain of Justice (Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen), installed in 1693, bears witness to this tumultuous history. Only 300 meters from the Münster, it was a main axis for the Council's processions and public events.

Continue towards the Pulverturm Konstanz, a fortified tower from the 13th century (around 1255), which served as a powder magazine from 1688. 30 meters high, with a diameter of 13 meters and walls 3.5 meters thick, it was part of the medieval ramparts protecting access to the Rhine port. But darker is its role as a prison during the Council of Constance (1414-1418), where suspected heretics were held. Restored in 1950 after World War II damage, this tower is a powerful reminder of the religious repression of the era.

Your quest concludes at the Hus-Stein Konstanz, a commemorative stone erected in 1821 by the Friends of Hus Society, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his death. Located near the Rhine, 400 meters from the Münster, on the route of Hus's trial, it marks the presumed site of his preaching. The inscription « Hier predigte Hus am 6. Juli 1415 vor seiner Verbrennung » (Here Hus preached on July 6, 1415 before his burning) etches the memory of this Czech reformer into stone. By following this cultural route of the Council of Constance, you have explored the history of Constance, an imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, and the heritage of Baden-Württemberg, discovering the places where destinies that shaped Europe were played out.