Konzilgebäude Konstanz, Medieval warehouse in Constance, Germany

The Konzilgebäude in Constance is a three-storey stone building with a footprint of 23 by 50 metres and a steep hipped roof 28 metres high. Its lake side has three storeys and two corner projections, while the city side drops to two. A small square wooden tower with a pyramidal roof and weathervane sits at the left end of the roof.

The building was constructed between 1388 and 1391 as a trading center and played a key role in commerce with Italy. In 1417 it hosted the election of Pope Martin V, an event of major European importance.

The building's name comes from the 1417 conclave, though it was built as a Kaufhaus, a goods warehouse. An inscription on the south side commemorates the end of the Western Schism. Since 1912 it has hosted concerts, congresses and carnival events, and the Konzil Gaststätten occupy the lakeside terrace.

The building sits right on the lakeshore and is easy to locate and access. Visitors should allow time to explore the restaurants and note that the halls are sometimes reserved for events or conferences.

The building stands on hundreds of oak piles driven into the soft lake bed, and cranes mounted in its bays once lifted goods straight from ships into the upper floors. In 1417 its windows were walled shut except for a narrow slit and a fence ringed it while the conclave met inside.