The figure of the chronicler Gallus Öhem symbolises the region’s close ties to the important monastery on the island of Reichenau. The information point forms part of a project marking the ‘1,300th anniversary of the Reichenau Monastery Island’, which was celebrated around the western shores of Lake Constance in 2024. The occasion marked the founding of the monastery by the itinerant bishop Pirmin in 724 – an event that had a lasting impact on the history and culture of the entire region.
Silhouettes of historical figures have been erected at various locations in the western Lake Constance area. They draw attention, in an entertaining way, to the links between the surrounding communities and the once-powerful abbey. Visitors can thus symbolically ‘strike up a conversation’ with figures from Reichenau’s medieval past and learn more about the region’s history.
Gallus Öhem, who is depicted here, was an important chronicler of Reichenau Abbey in the late Middle Ages. His records helped to document key events and developments in the abbey’s history and preserve them for future generations.
The information point invites visitors to discover the monastic heritage of the region and to learn more about Reichenau’s historical influence on the towns and villages on the western shore of Lake Constance. In this way, history becomes visible and tangible right here in the public space.
