Midd­le Ages on La­ke Con­stan­ce - Eco­no­mic area bet­ween the Alps and the Rhi­ne Falls

In the Middle Ages, the area between the Alps, Lake Constance and the Rhine developed into a closely interwoven and important economic, transit and trading area. Cities sometimes joined together to form alliances, introduced a uniform currency system and formed hubs for regional and international trade.

A large part of the goods traffic in and out of this economic area was shipped via Lake Constance and the Rhine. Since the Rhine Falls were impassable for transport ships, the goods had to be loaded onto wagons in Schaffhausen, transported through the city to Neuhausen and shipped again below the Rhine Falls. Thanks to the associated customs revenue and other lucrative services, Schaffhausen became a wealthy city in the Middle Ages.