Bregenz was built up on historical ground, numerous finds dating back to the Bronze Age. The benefits of this location were recognised by the celtic Brigantians, who immigrated 400 BC and used the upper town as a fortress. In 63 BC Strabon, a Greek geographer, gave Bregenz the name "Brigantium". In 15 BC the legionnaires of Tiberius conquered the celtic Brigantium in order to expand the Roman Empire to the shores of the Danube. Brigantium region then was bigger than today’s Vorarlberg, with its territory extending beyond the borders of the modern-day province. During the Germanic Migrations the Alemans got farther and farther into the country, finally settling down at the site of the former 'Olrainstadt'.

From 500 to 1150 the "Ulrichs" governed the country. From then the Earls of Montfort governed the country. They got involved in many wars, e.g. with the knights of Suevia. Duke Sigmund of Austria bought one half of the townin 1451 while the other half was purchased by the Habsburgs in 1523. From then on the main area of Bregenz continually moved from the upper town towards the shore of the lake. Bregenz became the dominant city of the Vorarlbergian towns. In the year 1602 the town expanded. Shortly after the conquest and looting of Bregenz by the Swedes (4th January 1647) in the course of the 30-Years'War a big economic upturn began. The previously flourishing trading of wood from the Bregenzerwald (an agriculturally dominated Alpine valley southeast of Bregenz) lost much of its importance. It had been connected with the great ship traffic on the Lake Constance. The way out of the near economic disaster was the foundation of the Bregenzian corn market. The economic upswing Bregenz went hand in hand with a gain of political significance. In the Austrian War of Succession an attack from the French was beaten back (1744). At Napoleon's time the town was occupied by foreign troups like the rest of Vorarlberg, but on May 29th 1809 freedom fighters conquered it back.

After the collapse of the "Austro-Hungarian Monarchy" and the establishment of Vorarlberg as an autonomous province, Bregenz became the capital of Vorarlberg in 1918. Meanwhile the trading of grains at the "Kornmarkt" had lost its importance due to better rail connections all over Europe. In 1872 the town was connected to the rail network of Switzerland and Germany. As a consequence big textile companies from Germany and Switzerland settled in Vorarlberg in 1896, followed by industrial enterprises processing food or manufacturing machines. With its 25.000 inhabitants Bregenz today is not very big, but one of the liveliest towns of Austria, especially during the summer season.

Shortly after 1945 the town stepped into a new period of growth, which has continued until today. This development was especially enhanced by tourism and the very famous "Bregenz Festivals" (a multi-featured music festival during the summer) founded in 1946. Thus tourism is a very important factor for the economy of Vorarlberg. The increasing lack of land for development resulted in the building of tower-blocks, mainly in "Vorkloster" and "Rieden", two districts of Bregenz. The typical "Bregenzer", who lives on the border to Germany and Switzerland, sees himself/herself as very open-minded, he/she does not live in cultural backwater but in the heart of Europe.