The place was first mentionned in 850 as Rorscahun. In 947, Otto I granted the abbot of St. Gall the right for markets, coinage and tariffs at Rorschach.
Sights include the Kornhaus, lake promenade, aviation museum in Altenrhein, the abbey Mariaberg, as well as the St. Anna, Wartensee, Sulzberg and Wartegg castles.
The city is governed by a city council, headed by mayor Thomas Müller (CVP, elected 2003), and a parliament.
The train lines link the city to St. Gallen, St. Margrethen, Romanshorn. A cog railway leads to Heiden (800 m a.s.l). In 1856, the station became the terminus of the line Zurich-St. Gallen.