Page - 254 - in The Power of Urban Water - Studies in premodern urbanism

254 RainerSchreg Fig. 6:Mapof medieval bridges in SouthernGermany. Fig. 7:Neckar- hausen, bridge built 1257. hausen,closetoHorbandstill standing,hasbeendendrochronologicallydatedto125723 (Fig. 7), while the bridge across theDanube at Regensburgwas already constructed in the first half of the 12th century.24 River crossingswere interesting locations for the founding of towns. Theywere important strategic points in the territorial politics of noble families. In Southern Bavaria, for example, theoldRomanroadbetweenSalzburgandAugsburgcrosses theInnandtheIsar.Atbothrivers, the roadwas relocated to newbridges and towns ormarkets. Munichwas founded as a town by the Dukes of Bavaria trying to establish amarket and toll station in competitionwith the previous Isar crossing at Oberföhring, some kilometres downstream.25 In the 13th century, the old Romanbridge, the PonsAeni, atmodern-day Pfaffenhofenwas replaced by one at Rosen- 23 Ungerer-Heuck 1989. 24 Knoll 2013, 294–297. 25 Schwarz 1989, 180f.; Päffgen 2013, 149–156.