AUMOVIO as a company is hard to explain, but in short they are an extension of Continental AG and focus on two business units: Safety and Motion, and Architecture and Network Solutions. The sensors in and around your car are probably made by Aumovio. Hearing about the process and then actually seeing it play out was very helpful in understanding what was going on. We had to wear lab-style coats and booties on our shoes to protect the factory environment from contamination and static electricity. The guide was very confident in the direction and future of the company. He almost seemed overconfident at times.
The old and new coexist very well in Regensburg. The city is laid out like a well preserved medieval town, yet it is filled with lively shops and restaurants that attract large crowds. The architecture was especially interesting to see and learn about. For example, we toured a site that contained an engraving of Saint Peter at the top of the building. It was incredible to see the craftsmanship required to complete work like that, along with the tapestry designs displayed in one of the rooms. One tapestry depicted the Roman defeat of Carthage. We learned that these ornate designs often took months or even years to complete, with each tapestry telling a vibrant story.
The meeting hall included replicas of a large brass chandelier along with depictions of Saint Peter. Another room we toured contained a torture chamber used for people who committed capital crimes such as murder or arson. Lesser crimes were treated more like a figurative slap on the wrist, with offenders being shackled and publicly embarrassed in the town square. In comparison, those who were tortured often had little choice other than to confess. We learned that only one man was said to have survived three rounds of torture and still been found not guilty.
It was fascinating to see a town like Regensburg that remained completely intact and largely unaffected by the war. The city’s history feels much more connected to medieval Europe than to World War II. Regensburg has definitely been my favorite town we have visited so far.
