If Regensburg isn’t careful, there will soon be more written about the city’s public toilets than about its most famous citizen, the notorious Gloria von Thurn und Taxis. The city has more to offer than quiet little towns and loud self-proclaimed princesses. Regensburg knows this all too well and that’s what makes the whole toilet thing so difficult. The public toilets must be worthy of such a city.
At Schwanenplatz, not far from Regensburg Cathedral, some people believe that dignity has been exaggerated a bit. Then, a year later, perhaps an understatement. The city had an outhouse built there for almost 900,000 euros. It was complained that for that price you could actually get an apartment in this location. Now the toilet doesn’t look so bad, sandstone-colored, spacious. There are several toilets for men and women, a state-of-the-art handicapped-accessible cabin and a long covered bench – for bus drivers, school classes and tourist groups to linger, according to those responsible.
But the reality looked a little different. The weather-protected place served as a place for homeless people to sleep and for pigeons to romp around. Or as the city called it: “Base for feeding pigeons.” The bank was therefore recently dismantled. Some people think it’s totally undignified. A poster called for 900,000 euros for the homeless, instead of “Yuppie toilets!” Unknown people built a sleeping place out of pallets next to the toilet with a mattress and bedding.
Regensburg and its toilet debates border on a fetish. The petition against Wildbiesler “Say yes to stop Struller!” will never be forgotten. or the months-long quarrels over a flood-proof toilet on the Jahn Island. And recently they solved it Conditions at the cemetery toilet on Trinity Hill anger. It could definitely be described as medieval, but unlike the old town, it is probably not worth preserving.
Speaking of worth preserving. Regensburg doesn’t have it easy either. You can’t just set up a mobile toilet in a UNESCO World Heritage old town. Of course, such a postcard-perfect city has to ensure that the residents of Regensburg and the many tourists do not relieve themselves like they did in the Middle Ages – even if they stroll through the well-preserved medieval streets.