- Around 810 A.D. Adalbert of Raetia founded a canonesses' abbey dedicated to 'Our Lady under the Lime Trees' on the island in the Lake of Constance. This wooden church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary was to be the starting point of the development of Lindau. Up until then the Celts and the Romans had built only on dry land. In 1079, the market place that had also been held on dry land was then transferred to the island. It became the centre of the island, and a town soon developed.
- In 1220 Lindau was elevated to the rank of imperial city, thereby stirring up the rivalry between Church and Township. The abbey then had to abandon its power over the island. In return, it became in 1460 an abbey where the daughters of the most distinguished noble families lived.
- The canonesses' house was dissolved following secularization. Along with the town that had been stripped of its imperial immediacy, the house of canonesses was then attached to Bavaria in 1805. A provincial government was installed in the buildings of the house of canonesses and the former canonesses church has served since then as a parish church.
- As from the Middle Ages there were cloisters in the south part of the church. The wings were destroyed during a terrible fire in 1728. During the reconstruction, the abbey, the church and the market (Haus zum Cavazzen = Town museum, Haus zum Baumgarten = Marketplace 4) were decorated in the baroque style, and so they stand today.
- In 1731 the town of Lindau built the main warden of civil militia (today the Hotel Stift). From 1816 to the mid 1860s the main warden served as guardhouse for the 11th Infantry Regiment of Bavaria. Because of the long periods of time they spent here, a schoolroom and houses were also constructed (this is where the Rotisserie is today). Since then it has served as an inn.
- In 1951 the Brewery Simmerberg destroyed the stables and other dependencies in order to start building anew (café and garage). The Hotel Gasthof Stift has not changed since then. On the facade on the first floor one can see two representations; a nymph and a faun, to remind us of the everlasting war between the once powerful noble (if not always pious) convent and the bourgeoisie.
