Augsburg, Germany

Augsburg, with its Mozart heritage, is one of Germany’s oldest cities. Augsburg shaped the history of Germany and Europe over a long period, having always been a little richer, and more glamorous and imposing than other cities. Augsburg’s superb fountains, grand old guildhouses, exquisite churches and, of course, the Town Hall combine to form a cityscape of rare intensity. Leopold Mozart, father to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and an influential composer in his own right, was born here.

Rail Travel Times:

Munich to Augsburg: 32 mins

Plan and Book:

Augsburg: See and Do

Augsburg, the third largest city in Bavaria, was founded by the Romans and is one of the oldest cities in Germany. This city, located on the Romantic Road, offers numerous places of interest, the most well known being the Augsburger Puppenkiste marionette theatre, the Fuggerei social housing complex, the Renaissance City Hall and the Cathedral. Connected to the splendid history of Augsburg are the names Fugger and Welser, Mozart, Bertold Brecht and Rudolf Diesel. The Augsburg Confession is known around the world. Today, Augsburg is not just a popular destination for city and culture tourists but also a location for exhibitions and conventions as well as a university town.



Buildings of note to look out for include:

Perlach Tower: The 70 metre high Perlachturm Tower next to the City Hall offers a spectacular panoramic view of Augsburg. Open from May to October. Originally built as a watchtower in the 10th century, it is nowadays part of an ensemble with the City Hall of Augsburg.

Fuggerei: Founded in 1521 by Jacob Fugger the Rich for industrious, innocently impoverished Augsburg citizens of Roman Catholic faith. The world’s oldest social housing: it encompasses 67 houses with 140 council flats. The annual rent was and is still is 1 Rhenish gulden (an equivalent of 1 euro). The gates were locked at night, so the Fuggerei was, in its own right, very similar to a small independent medieval town. It is still inhabited today, affording it the status of being the oldest social housing project in the world. The doorbells have elaborate shapes, each being unique, dating back to before the installation of streetlights when residents could identify their door by feeling the handle in the dark.

The Fuggerei museum displays the lifestyle of earlier times in three rooms found in the only apartment of the Fuggerei which has been preserved in its original condition. In 2006 a modern didactic area of the museum was newly opened where the story of the Fuggers and the Fuggerei is documented on film, with text and picture boards as well as with exhibits. Signs on a number of the Fuggerei houses point out building information and historic details.

Shortly after World War II began, an air-raid shelter was erected in the Fuggerei. Here a permanent exhibition entitled “The Fuggerei in WWII – Destruction and Reconstruction” shows the fate of the Fuggerei and its residents during the time of National Socialism and in the phase of post-war reconstruction. Texts and photographs, film and sound as well as exhibits all document the bombing of Augsburg during WWII plus the reconstruction of both the Fuggerei and the city of Augsburg.

St. Mary’s Cathedral: Romanesque and Gothic St. Mary’s Cathedral with impressive frescos, a Romanesque crypt, windows from the 12th century displaying the prophets as well as four panel paintings by Hans Holbein the Elder. Many finds from the Roman era to be seen on the square. The Romanesque structure was commissioned in 1043 by bishop Henry III, and was completed in 1065. The two towers, which are visible from the whole city, were completed in 1075. From 1331 to 1431 numerous Gothic elements were added, including the eastern choir.

During the Protestant Reformation, the church lost most of its religious artworks, although some were later restored. The interior, which was turned into a Baroque one during the 17th century, was partially restored to its late medieval appearance in the 19th century, with the addition of some neo-Gothic elements. In 1565 the northern tower was heightened. The church suffered only limited damage during World War II, mostly to the Chapel of Our Lady.

The diocesan museum, (right next to the Cathedral) exhibits a vast number of art treasures including, for example, the bronze doors of the Augsburg cathedral from the 11th century and paintings and sculptures of the late Middle Ages.


Golden Hall

City Hall and Golden Hall: The City Hall that was built by Elias Holl between 1615 to 1620 is the landmark of the city and it is also said to be the most significant secular Renaissance building north of the Alps. The restored Golden Hall is famous for its magnificent, pompous portals, coffered ceiling and mural paintings. Open from 10 a. m. to 6 p.m. except when there are private events.

The three magnificent fountains: From around 1600 in Maximilianstrasse – also known as “The Imperial Mile,” there are splendid fountain monuments and precious bronze sculptures: Augustus Fountain, Mercury fountain and Hercules Fountain.

The Fugger City Palace: The residential and business house of Jacob Fugger was built from 1512 to 1515 and has charming and attractive inner courts (the Damenhof or Ladies’ Court) built in the architectural style of the Italian Renaissance. Access by Maximilianstrasse 36.

After being destroyed in the Second World War, the complex was rebuilt in 1951 by Carl Furst Fugger-Babenhausen. The front facade used to feature a fresco by Hans Burgkmair, which was destroyed in the Second World War and replaced by a new livery. Plaques there recall the Fugger business empire and the events of 1518, when Martin Luther was interrogated by Thomas Cajetan in the Fuggerhauser. In the middle of the facade is the Adlertor, which indicates that the Fuggerhauser was an imperial residence – this gate now leads to the headquarters of the Furst Fugger Privatbank. Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays: 10 am – pm.

Schaezler Palace: City residence of the banker Liebert von Liebenhofen with a richly furnished rococo banqueting hall (1765-1770), today Germany’s most important baroque gallery. Entrance to the State Gallery of Bavaria with paintings by the Old Masters such as Duerer, Holbein and Cranach.

Catholic St. Ulrich’s church: a richly furnished late Gothic basilica built in the architectural styles of Renaissance and Baroque. Tomb of the diocesan saints Afra, Saint Ulrich and Simpert. Protestant St. Ulrich’s church (in the foreground): Impressive stucco ceiling with ornamental art from the Regency period.

St. Anna church: Formerly a Carmelite monastery, a Protestant church since 1525 (the so-called ‘Lutherstiege’). The tomb chapel of the Fugger family is regarded as the first Renaissance church building in Germany. It features valuable paintings by Lucas Cranach and the Goldsmith’s Chapel with 14th century frescos. Right next to the Annahof is the City Market, with its picturesque selection of flowers, fruit and vegetables, bread, cakes and pastries, meat, fish and lots more.

The Synagogue: Built by Heinrich Lompel and Fritz Landauer from 1914 to 1917 as cupola building with Art Nouveau furnishing. Moreover, it is home of the Museum of Jewish Culture.

Augsburg Puppenkiste (Puppet Theatre): ‘Die Kiste,’ the museum of the Augsburg Puppet Theatre, is found one floor above the theater in the Heilig-Geist-Spital, a former hospital now preserved as an historical monument. In addition to the display of the well-loved marionettes, the museum also presents the history of the theatre.

MAN Museum: The museum of the MAN Group in Augsburg displays many original exhibitions, including the world’s first Diesel engine, models, many pictures as well as information panels. The museum documents a journey through time that spans more than two centuries of technical history and ends with today’s products and services. The museum also houses an historical archive containing some 1.5 million documents on the history of the MAN Group, its predecessors and manroland AG. Open Monday – Friday from 9 am. to 4 pm. Please bookin advance: phone +49 821 322-3366. Heinrich-von-Buz-Strasse 28, 86153 Augsburg. Ph: +49 821 3223366

Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel, who lived in Augsburg, is honoured at the museum. Diesel made a great contribution in the field of mechanical engineering, particularly in today’s transportation powering methods. He is most famous for having invented the diesel engine but apart from that, Diesel was also a connoisseur of the arts, a social theorist, and a linguist whose brilliant mind made breakthroughs which are still much appreciated by modern society. The American rights for the diesel engine were purchased by a brewer named Adolphus Busch, but in Europe, it is still MAN Diesel that operates the leading facility for diesel engines.

Mozart house: The house in which Leopold Mozart, the father of Wolfgang Mozart was born, is a house of the bourgeoisie of the 16th and 17th centuries. Today it is a Mozart memorial with a permanent exhibition and interesting changing exhibits (documents from the time of Mozart in Augsburg, on Leopold and Wolfgang and a Stein pianoforte). Open 10 am – 5 pm. Frauentorstrasse 30 D-86152 Augsburg Ph: +49 (0) 821 / 502 07-0.

Maximilian museum: The Maximilian Museum is a large, public museum housed in a palatial building erected in 1546. It houses a notable collection of decorative arts.. The painting of the facade was reconstructed according to old patterns. The museum presents interesting evidence of town history as well as a large exhibition of goldsmiths’ work and silverwork of famous Augsburg masters. The glazed roof over the courtyard of the museum creates an extended exhibition space without impairing the view of the existing Renaissance building. Courtyard with cafe. Fuggerpl. 1, 86150 Augsburg. Open 10 am – pm. Ph: +49 821 3244102.

State Museum of Textiles and Textile Industry (tim): In one of Bavaria’s first factories, ‘tim’ documents the once European-wide significance of the industrial city of Augsburg using machines, samples and a catwalk of fashion history. One hundred years ago approximately 30,000 people worked in the spinning mills, weaving mills and dye works of this German ‘Manchester.’ Guided tours available. Open Tuesday to Sunday: 9 am – 6 pm. Monday: closed. Ph: +49 (821) 81001-50. Access by train Tram Line 6, station “Textilmuseum”. Journey time from Augsburg Central Station: approx. 10 minutes.