Summary of Top Attractions in Augsburg
Augsburg, the third oldest German city after Neuss and Trier, was established by the Romans in 15 BC. The city has historically been a significant hub for European trade, but it experienced its peak during the Early Modern Age when the Fugger and Welser banking families accumulated immense wealth. This prosperity is reflected in Augsburg’s architecture, including the first Renaissance buildings north of the Alps, such as the exquisite City Hall and the lavish residence of the Fugger family.
Augsburg’s churches and galleries are filled with Renaissance art, while the central Maximilianstraße features long lines of historic facades accompanied by three Mannerist fountains commemorating the city’s 1,600th anniversary. The city’s wealth fostered a rich cultural environment, with notable citizens like Hans Holbein the Elder and Leopold Mozart, who greatly influenced art and music.
Let us delve into the top attractions in Augsburg:
1. Fuggerei
The Fuggerei stands as the world’s oldest social housing project, initiated in 1516 by Jakob Fugger, a prominent merchant banker. Within a decade, 52 houses were built, creating a distinct community of streets and squares, complete with a church.
Currently, the Fuggerei consists of eight streets where residents reside, and access is controlled by gates that close at 22:00 daily. The residents must adhere to rules established 500 years ago, including the stipulation of being of the Catholic faith and offering prayers for the souls of the Fuggers. The annual rent is a token €0.88, significantly cheaper than the cost for tourists to visit.
One of the ground floor apartments has been preserved as a museum, showcasing this remarkable initiative.
2. City Hall
Constructed at a significant expense in the 1610s, during Augsburg’s zenith, the City Hall mirrors the city’s wealth and influence during the Renaissance. The exterior features a grand representation of the Reichsadler, the Imperial Eagle, located beneath the pediment on the gable.
Internally, the centerpiece is the Goldener Saal, or Golden Hall, renowned for its spectacular gilded coffered ceiling, elaborately decorated doorways, and mural frames holding allegorical paintings. Another notable room, the Fürstenzimmer, is more intimate, showcasing detailed coffered ceilings, parquet floors, and oil paintings adorning wood-paneled walls.
3. Augsburg Cathedral
The oldest components of Augsburg’s impressive cathedral date back to Romanesque times in the 1000s, yet the prominent style is Late Gothic from the 14th century. This is evident at the southern portal, adorned with rich sculptures dating back to around 1356, depicting scenes from the Life of Mary along with stories of the apostles on the jambs and archivolts.
In addition, the decorative northern portal from 1343 illustrates scenes from the Life of Jesus, showcasing a wealth of artistic treasures within.
The nave pillars host paintings by Hans Holbein the Elder, while an abundance of medieval stained glass can be found, the oldest being situated high in the southern clerestory, created towards the end of the 11th century.
4. Schaezlerpalais
The Schaezlerpalais, once the residence of 18th-century banker Benedikt Adam Liebert, is an exquisite example of Rococo architecture.
Its impressive gardens, courtyards, and interiors culminate in a grand ballroom, richly adorned with chandeliers, a magnificent ceiling fresco, lofty mirrors, and abundant gilded stucco.
The palace also boasts remarkable art collections, including the German Baroque Gallery featuring works by 18th-century artists such as Johann Heinrich Schönfeld and Georg Philipp Rugendas. The Karl und Magdalene Haberstock Foundation contains pieces by Canaletto, van Dyck, and Veronese. Notably, the State Gallery of Old German Masters features paintings by Hans Holbein the Younger, Lucas Cranach the Elder, and Albrecht Dürer’s iconic portrait of Jakob Fugger.
5. Perlachturm
Over its 1,000-year history, Augsburg’s iconic watchtower has undergone numerous transformations. A significant alteration occurred in the 1610s to align with City Hall’s redesign.
Perlachturm now stands as part of one of the most striking Renaissance ensembles north of the Alps, reaching a height of 70 metres. It is accessible to visitors daily from Easter to November, and on weekends during the Christmas market.
The climb to the top involves ascending 258 steps, and a yellow flag indicates that visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the Alps. An intriguing feature appears around St. Michael’s Day on September 29, when a gilded automaton of St. Michael combating the devil is displayed in the lowest window of the tower.
6. St Ulrich’s and St Afra’s Church
As an Imperial Abbey, St Ulrich’s and St Afra’s Church functioned as an independent enclave within the Free City of Augsburg. Founded in the 900s, the existing building showcases a Late Gothic architectural style from the 15th century, easily identifiable by its tower crowned with a Baroque onion dome.
The 93.5-metre nave invites visitors to appreciate its intricate star vaults, while more complex patterns adorn the aisles. In the choir, visitors can observe oak-carved altars from the early 17th century, created by sculptor Johann Schermer. The church also houses the sarcophagi of saints Ulrich, Afra, and Simpertus, who were all former Bishops of Augsburg.
7. St Anne’s Church
Originating from a 14th-century monastery, St Anne’s Church witnessed a pivotal event during the Reformation when Martin Luther stayed there in 1518 among the Carmelite friars while meeting the Papal Legate seeking his obedience to the pope.
Converted to Lutheran use in 1545, the church received a Rococo redesign approximately 200 years later, embellished with intricate stuccowork and vibrant frescoes by Johann Georg Bergmüller. Its burial chapel, established in 1509, is regarded as Germany’s oldest example of Renaissance architecture, featuring the tomb of Jakob Fugger, among other notable vaults, stained glass windows, and wall reliefs.
8. Augsburger Puppenkiste
Since its establishment in 1948, the 17th-century Heilig-Geist-Spital (Holy Ghost Hospital) has served as the home for Augsburg’s esteemed puppet theatre. It gained significant recognition throughout Germany during the latter half of the 20th century due to televised adaptations of fairytales and contemporary children’s literature.
The theatre features performances for children and offers more sophisticated shows in the evenings for adult audiences. Furthermore, the museum showcases the theatre’s most famous marionettes, including beloved characters such as Kater Mikesch, Urmel, Jim Knopf, and Lukas der Lokomotivführer, cherished by generations of Germans.
9. Fuggerhäuser
The Fugger family resided in a complex of interconnected buildings and courtyards located at Maximilianstraße 36. Designed by Jakob Fugger himself in the 1510s, the first house and warehouse annex drew inspiration from notes taken during his travels in Italy.
This complex became the first Renaissance residence north of the Alps, expanding over time as neighboring houses were acquired and integrated into the original structure. The courtyards reflect the palace’s grandeur, providing public access to their exquisitely designed areas. For example, the Damenhof, designated for the women of the family, features a stunning arcade supported by marble Venetian columns.
10. Fugger-und-Welser-Erlebnismuseum
This museum offers insights into the influential merchant families that significantly impacted not only Augsburg but also Europe and the broader world. The Fuggers succeeded the de’ Medici family and dominated the European copper economy, while the Welsers expanded their influence into new German territories in the Americas, including Venezuela.
The museum focuses less on original artifacts and more on evoking the historical era through multimedia presentations, ambient sounds, projections, and interactive displays. It strives to connect contemporary economic issues with events from the time of these Renaissance mercantile families. The museum building, constructed in 1530, is a listed monument featuring loggias that have been encased with windows.
11. Maximilianstraße
This north-south thoroughfare in Augsburg has been traversed since Roman times. The northern section coincides with the Via Claudia Augusta Roman Road, a significant trade route connecting Germany to Rome.
The abundance of historically significant monuments and buildings along Maximilianstraße can be overwhelming, even after considering the attractions previously mentioned. Among these are the trio of Mannerist fountains, known collectively as the Augsburg Prachtbrunnen (Augsburg’s magnificent fountains), which include the Augustus Fountain from 1594, the Mercury Fountain from 1599, and the Hercules Fountain completed in 1600, all crafted to commemorate the city’s 1,600th anniversary.
12. Augsburg Zoo
Augsburg has housed exotic animals since the 8th century, when Charlemagne kept his pet Asian elephant in the city. Fast forward 1,300 years, and Augsburg Zoo is now over 80 years old and ranks among the 20 largest zoos in Germany, providing habitats for 1,600 creatures spanning 300 species.
Situated within the northernmost expanse of the Siebentischwald, a substantial woodland area extending 10 kilometres along the River Lech to the south, the zoo showcases a variety of species, including fur seals, a three-hectare savannah habitat featuring rhinos and giraffes, and a newly opened reptile house as of 2015. Additionally, the big cat enclosure houses both lions and tigers, complemented by a sculpted rocky environment designed for mountain goats, ibexes, and West Caucasian turs.
13. Botanischer Garten
What began as a nursery in the 1930s has evolved into a 10-hectare reserve harboring flora from around the globe. The garden now features approximately 3,100 species, including 1,200 tropical and subtropical species growing within greenhouses.
Outside, visitors can find an atmospheric Japanese garden, a rockery, a rose garden showcasing 280 varieties, an apothecary garden, a farmer’s garden, and a sunken garden filled with summer flowers. Strolling through the pathways, guests encounter around 450 shrub and perennial species.
The main greenhouse serves as a paradise for tropical species, housing vanilla, banana trees, coffee bushes, and cocoa trees. In late winter, the smaller Victoria-regia house is transformed into a butterfly haven.
14. Mozarthaus
The cultural impact of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has led to the fascination with locations associated with his family. The gabled 17th-century residence where his father, Leopold Mozart, was born in 1719 now operates as a museum.
Leopold Mozart’s contributions were notable as he too was a composer and gained recognition as a prominent music educator through his work “Violinschule.” He also played a pivotal role in Wolfgang’s education, discovering his talent and managing his early career.
The audio-guided tour unveils a collection of handwritten letters, books, engravings, sheet music, and musical instruments, including an original grand piano crafted by Johann Andreas Stein.
15. Zwetschgendatschi
A must-try delicacy in Augsburg is Zwetschgendatschi, a delightful sheet cake with a shortcrust or yeast dough base topped with a layer of sweet zwetschge plums. It pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee, and there are various ways to enjoy it—either plain, with whipped cream, or enhanced with a layer of streusel, a crumbly blend of sugar, butter, and flour.
Devotees of tradition prefer it unadorned. The cake holds such significance in Augsburg that the city is sometimes referred to as “Datschiburg,” as it is widely believed to be the place where the recipe was perfected.
