Of Science and Ice Cream
Lindau, Germany - 2022
The island of Lindau in Lake Constance (or Bodensee in German parlance) in the extreme south of Germany is known for its charming medieval and Baroque architecture but what we really went for is the spaghetti ice cream.
For the uninitiated, spaghetties is a plate of ice cream made to resemble a tangle of the Italian favourite. Vanilla ice cream is extruded through a modified press giving it the appearance of strands of pasta - then served over whipped cream and topped with strawberry sauce, grated almonds and white chocolate shavings to resemble parmesan. The dish was created by the German ice cream maker Dario Fontanella in the late 1960s in Mannheim, Germany, to pacify children who broke into tears because they wanted ice cream and not a plate of spaghetti. His calorific innovation received the "Bloomaulorden", a medal bestowed by the city of Mannheim, in 2014.
We sampled our first spagetties when visiting Lindau in 2006 and so resplendent was it, the memory lingered. So, on crossing the bridge to the historic island on a glorious summer day 17 years later, we made a beeline for the harbour and tucked in. Seehafen Café Graf at Havenplatz, overlooking the gleaming lake was definitely the place to rekindle the love affair.
After such calorific indulgence, exercise is much needed. Lindau is the perfect place for cycling around the narrow streets or swimming in the lake at one of the many island beaches. For shopping or general people-watching, Maximilianstrasse is the island’s main artery. It was pedestrianised in the mid 1970’s, bringing it to life with arcades, patrician houses, shops and cafes. The architecture is a blend of Gothic and Renaissance style, and it has a real chocolate box appearance where time can seem to stand still.
Lindau was once a prosperous merchant town along the trade route to Italy and is still shrieks of money, with well-to-do shops and plenty of high-end eateries. And yet it retains a medieval and Baroque appearance – indeed we even saw people dressed in lederhosen and dirndls (until we realised, they were probably dressed up for the Lindau Children’s Festival, held every summer shortly before the start of the school holidays, which dates back to the middle of the 17th century and is thought to have been started to encourage parents to send their children to school).
By the time of the 13th century the relatively small town was important enough to be granted the status of 'free imperial city' (meaning that only the Holy Roman Emperor had power over it).
The island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges, southeast of Friedrichshafen, held out against a Swedish siege in the Thirty Years War - but was devastated by a fire which destroyed the centre in the 18th century. The religious buildings were handed to the state during Napoleonic times and Lindau lost its status as a free imperial city, becoming part of Bavaria when Napoleon was eventually defeated.
Notable landmarks are the old town hall – the ratthous - built between 1422-1436 and remodelled 1578; and the 19th century six-metre-high Bavarian lion statue proudly marking the entrance to the small harbour against the jagged background of the Alps.
The Mangturm – with Rapunzel’s hair dangling from the window - is an impressive tower dating from the 13th century where it once served as a lighthouse. The grey-bricked stone tower is truly a sight to behold with its colourful tiled roof and fat blond plait. Visitors can climb up the tower for breathtaking views of Lindau and listen to enchanting fairytales in the historic setting, with the braid serving as a reminder of the power of fairytales.
As well as the Children’s Festival, the island annually hosts The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. These were established in 1951 to provide a globally recognised forum for an exchange of ideas between Nobel Laureates and young scientists. The idea originated with two Lindau physicians, Dr. Franz Karl Hein and Professor Dr. Gustav Wilhelm Parade, as a way to reconcile post-war Europe and develop an exchange of knowledge between nations, cultures and disciplines and today they inspire scientists young and old from around the world.
For a small island, Lindau packs a hefty cultural, gastronomical and intellectual punch.
For the uninitiated, spaghetties is a plate of ice cream made to resemble a tangle of the Italian favourite. Vanilla ice cream is extruded through a modified press giving it the appearance of strands of pasta - then served over whipped cream and topped with strawberry sauce, grated almonds and white chocolate shavings to resemble parmesan. The dish was created by the German ice cream maker Dario Fontanella in the late 1960s in Mannheim, Germany, to pacify children who broke into tears because they wanted ice cream and not a plate of spaghetti. His calorific innovation received the "Bloomaulorden", a medal bestowed by the city of Mannheim, in 2014.
We sampled our first spagetties when visiting Lindau in 2006 and so resplendent was it, the memory lingered. So, on crossing the bridge to the historic island on a glorious summer day 17 years later, we made a beeline for the harbour and tucked in. Seehafen Café Graf at Havenplatz, overlooking the gleaming lake was definitely the place to rekindle the love affair.
After such calorific indulgence, exercise is much needed. Lindau is the perfect place for cycling around the narrow streets or swimming in the lake at one of the many island beaches. For shopping or general people-watching, Maximilianstrasse is the island’s main artery. It was pedestrianised in the mid 1970’s, bringing it to life with arcades, patrician houses, shops and cafes. The architecture is a blend of Gothic and Renaissance style, and it has a real chocolate box appearance where time can seem to stand still.
Lindau was once a prosperous merchant town along the trade route to Italy and is still shrieks of money, with well-to-do shops and plenty of high-end eateries. And yet it retains a medieval and Baroque appearance – indeed we even saw people dressed in lederhosen and dirndls (until we realised, they were probably dressed up for the Lindau Children’s Festival, held every summer shortly before the start of the school holidays, which dates back to the middle of the 17th century and is thought to have been started to encourage parents to send their children to school).
By the time of the 13th century the relatively small town was important enough to be granted the status of 'free imperial city' (meaning that only the Holy Roman Emperor had power over it).
The island, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges, southeast of Friedrichshafen, held out against a Swedish siege in the Thirty Years War - but was devastated by a fire which destroyed the centre in the 18th century. The religious buildings were handed to the state during Napoleonic times and Lindau lost its status as a free imperial city, becoming part of Bavaria when Napoleon was eventually defeated.
Notable landmarks are the old town hall – the ratthous - built between 1422-1436 and remodelled 1578; and the 19th century six-metre-high Bavarian lion statue proudly marking the entrance to the small harbour against the jagged background of the Alps.
The Mangturm – with Rapunzel’s hair dangling from the window - is an impressive tower dating from the 13th century where it once served as a lighthouse. The grey-bricked stone tower is truly a sight to behold with its colourful tiled roof and fat blond plait. Visitors can climb up the tower for breathtaking views of Lindau and listen to enchanting fairytales in the historic setting, with the braid serving as a reminder of the power of fairytales.
As well as the Children’s Festival, the island annually hosts The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. These were established in 1951 to provide a globally recognised forum for an exchange of ideas between Nobel Laureates and young scientists. The idea originated with two Lindau physicians, Dr. Franz Karl Hein and Professor Dr. Gustav Wilhelm Parade, as a way to reconcile post-war Europe and develop an exchange of knowledge between nations, cultures and disciplines and today they inspire scientists young and old from around the world.
For a small island, Lindau packs a hefty cultural, gastronomical and intellectual punch.
Around and about
Austria and Switzerland are within a stone’s throw and accessible by car, lake steamer service and train. Bregenz, the capital of Vorarlberg, the westernmost state of Austria, lies on the east and southeast shores of Lake Constance, and is famous for its annual summer festival which features opera performed on the world’s largest floating stage – an optical-architectural-technical work of art.
Meersburg is situated on the northern shore of Lake Constance and is home to the Old Castle, a medieval fortress that offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding countryside. Once a residence for the prince-bishops of Constance on the other side of the lake, the old town centre is filled with evidence of its history.
The 'old castle' - the medieval Burg Meersburg - still towers above the surrounding houses whilst the 'new castle' - the Neues Schloss - sits above the surrounding steep vineyards.
The Flower Island of Mainau on Lake Constance is a short car and ferry-ride from Lindau. It is famous for its display of flowers and trees in the botanical gardens and the grounds. Due to subtropical influences, Mainau features an almost year-round warm climate in which exotic trees such as bananas and palms flourish. Around a million tulips, rhododendrons, scented roses, perennials and colourful dahlias bloom in the park and gardens, giving it a slightly gaudy feel, at times. The grounds also host some peculiar sculptures which would make many musicians cry – abandoned pianos sit incongruously on the shores of the lake, silent now and home to flowering plants whilst violins and saxophones dangle tunelessly from the trees.
The island was once owned by the Order of Teutonic Knits but was later sold into private ownership. In 1853, Grand Duke Frederick 1 established his summer residence there and planted exotic trees and plants, which he brought back from his travels. The Arboretum, the Italian Rose Garden, the Orangery and the first iron bridge to the mainland date from this period.
The evolution into its current state as the 'flower island' really flourished in the 1950s and much of the land is now under a protection order as a place of significant cultural value. Today it is run by a charitable foundation. The picturesque Baroque church of St Marien features fabulously painted ceilings and high altarpieces dedicated to the life of Mary. The entire church, in fact, is a total work of art that reflects the religiosity of its era and acts as a perfect counterpoint to the spiritual power of nature that exists through the heavy wooden doors.
Austria and Switzerland are within a stone’s throw and accessible by car, lake steamer service and train. Bregenz, the capital of Vorarlberg, the westernmost state of Austria, lies on the east and southeast shores of Lake Constance, and is famous for its annual summer festival which features opera performed on the world’s largest floating stage – an optical-architectural-technical work of art.
Meersburg is situated on the northern shore of Lake Constance and is home to the Old Castle, a medieval fortress that offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding countryside. Once a residence for the prince-bishops of Constance on the other side of the lake, the old town centre is filled with evidence of its history.
The 'old castle' - the medieval Burg Meersburg - still towers above the surrounding houses whilst the 'new castle' - the Neues Schloss - sits above the surrounding steep vineyards.
The Flower Island of Mainau on Lake Constance is a short car and ferry-ride from Lindau. It is famous for its display of flowers and trees in the botanical gardens and the grounds. Due to subtropical influences, Mainau features an almost year-round warm climate in which exotic trees such as bananas and palms flourish. Around a million tulips, rhododendrons, scented roses, perennials and colourful dahlias bloom in the park and gardens, giving it a slightly gaudy feel, at times. The grounds also host some peculiar sculptures which would make many musicians cry – abandoned pianos sit incongruously on the shores of the lake, silent now and home to flowering plants whilst violins and saxophones dangle tunelessly from the trees.
The island was once owned by the Order of Teutonic Knits but was later sold into private ownership. In 1853, Grand Duke Frederick 1 established his summer residence there and planted exotic trees and plants, which he brought back from his travels. The Arboretum, the Italian Rose Garden, the Orangery and the first iron bridge to the mainland date from this period.
The evolution into its current state as the 'flower island' really flourished in the 1950s and much of the land is now under a protection order as a place of significant cultural value. Today it is run by a charitable foundation. The picturesque Baroque church of St Marien features fabulously painted ceilings and high altarpieces dedicated to the life of Mary. The entire church, in fact, is a total work of art that reflects the religiosity of its era and acts as a perfect counterpoint to the spiritual power of nature that exists through the heavy wooden doors.