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Friedrichshafen is situated at an altitude of 394 m on the northern shore of the lake Bodensee (Lake Constance). The area of Friedrichshafen was already inhabited around 200 BC, Roman settlements originated between the 1st and 3rd century. Around AD 400 the Alemanni founded a village, which was first mentioned as 'Buchhorn' in a document of 838. Buchhorn became the seat of a line of the counts of Bregenz in 1040. In 1191 the village came in possession of the Hohenstaufen family. Prior to 1219 the Hohenstaufen founded the new market place of Buchhorn, which was chartered as a town prior to 1241. In 1266, a new name for the old village, 'Hofen', appeared for the first time in documents. In 1275, Buchhorn obtained the status of an Imperial Town. In 1437 the town obtained the right of full jurisdiction and thus became an independent Free Imperial City. In 1488 Buchhorn became part of the Austrian countries as part of the bailiwick Swabia. Buchhorn had formed a union with Zurich in 1472, and in 1488 became a member of the Swabian alliancen. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), Buchhorn was occupied by Swedish troops who renamed the town 'Gustavhorn'. In 1802, Buchhorn became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria, the village Hofen came in possession of the Princes of Nassau-Orange who passed it on to Austria in 1804. Only one year later Austria lost her possessions in Swabia to Württemberg. In 1810 Buchhorn too became part of Württemberg. In 1811 Buchhorn and Hofen were merged. The new town was named Friedrichshafen for King Friedrich of Württemberg. Since 1824 Friedrichshafen is the main port of Lake Constance. The opening of the railway line between Friedrichshafen and Ravensburg initiated the development of Friedrichshafen as a center of tourism in the area. Further lines to Überlingen and Lindau were opened in 1900/1901. The first flight of the Zeppelin airship 'Manzell' on 2 July 1900 initiated another important period for the town. In 1943/1945 large parts of Friedrichshafen were destroyed during 11 bomb raids. Today, Friedrichshafen is the capital of the Bodenseekreis district and has a population of about 56,500 inhabitants.