An Imperial City with 2,000 Years of History! 12 Recommended Tourist Spots in Augsburg

Augsburg, located in southern Germany, northwest of Munich, was founded in 15 BC as a Roman military camp under Emperor Augustus. It's considered Germany’s second oldest city after Trier. With a population of about 290,000, Augsburg is the third largest city in Bavaria. This historic city boasts numerous splendid buildings, including beautiful fountains, churches, and the city hall with its grand hall. From Baroque to Rococo and late 19th-century Jugendstil, Augsburg’s diverse historical architecture keeps visitors captivated. Augsburg is also known as the birthplace of Leopold Mozart, father of the famous Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Here, we've gathered 12 must-visit spots in charming Augsburg.

1. Fuggerei

Fuggerei, also called Fuggerai, is the world’s oldest social housing complex, established by the wealthy Fugger family, one of Germany's richest families based in Augsburg. The Fugger family amassed their wealth through mining and finance during the 15th and 16th centuries and were renowned as patrons of culture and the arts, comparable to the Medici family in Italy. Fuggerei was built in the early 16th century as a housing complex for low-income residents.

This small town within Augsburg's old city has eight alleys and three gates, with 67 three-story houses containing 147 residences, along with a church, fountains, walls, and castle gates. About 140 apartments are still occupied, and tenants must meet conditions such as being “a citizen of Augsburg” and “a Catholic.” Amazingly, the rent has remained unchanged since its foundation, costing one Rhenish guilder per year, less than one euro in today’s currency!

House number 13 serves as a museum, where visitors can see the residential areas and facilities. It is said that Mozart’s great-grandfather, a stonemason, also lived in one of these apartments. Since people still live here, please be mindful not to disturb residents during your visit, and note that the gates close at 10pm, as they did at the time of the establishment.

2. Augsburg City Hall

The Augsburg City Hall, designed by Augsburg-born architect Elias Holl, is a Renaissance-style masterpiece from the early 17th century. It is celebrated as the finest example of its kind in Northern Europe.

When this city hall was constructed, Augsburg was flourishing like no other under the Fugger family, symbolized by the “Golden Hall,” a grand hall on the fourth floor. Adorned with gold leaf and frescoes reaching up to the 14-meter-high ceiling, it leaves visitors in awe. It’s said that some tourists experience neck pain from admiring the intricate details.

The building was completely destroyed in 1944 during World War II and rebuilt in 1996. Today, this grand hall hosts city receptions and public events. The exterior is notable for its symmetrical towers and the eagle statue at the top center, symbolizing its status as a Free Imperial City. The “Electors’ Room” next to the grand hall is open for wedding ceremonies by reservation on select Fridays each month.

3. Augsburg Cathedral

Augsburg Cathedral is one of the highlights of sightseeing in Augsburg. Founded in 944 and renovated in Gothic style in the 14th century, it features a 62-meter-tall slender tower and a vast nave with a cloister. The cathedral is especially famous for its stained glass windows from 1140, the oldest in the world, depicting King David and four other prophets.

Positioned in the sanctuary, these windows catch the light beautifully. Other notable artworks include four portraits by Hans Holbein and two bronze doors over 1,000 years old in the southern central area. Nearby, the St. Afra Diocesan Museum sells beautiful stained glass postcards as souvenirs.

4. Perlach Tower

Standing next to Augsburg City Hall is the Perlach Tower, built in the 12th century and remodeled in the early 17th century by architect Elias Holl. Its harmonious design complements the city hall, also designed by Holl, and together they make for a picturesque view from Rathausplatz.

The 70-meter-high Perlach Tower has 258 steps that visitors can climb for views of Augsburg’s old city and the Alps. The bell is still rung manually, and visitors may need to cover their ears when the bell ringer announces the time. It’s a unique experience that isn’t found in many places in Germany, so if you’re up for the climb, try to reach the top at the hour!

5. St. Ulrich and St. Afra Church

Located near the southern end of Augsburg’s old city, this church is as significant as the cathedral. It is where St. Afra, martyred in 304, was buried, and until the early 11th century, Augsburg’s bishops were interred here rather than in the cathedral. St. Ulrich, one of Augsburg's bishops, was also buried here in 974.

The church was expanded to its current form in 1555 to commemorate the “Religious Peace of Augsburg,” which recognized Lutheranism. This unique church, where Catholic and Protestant congregations coexist, is a notable destination for many visitors. It is situated at the southern end of the main street, Maximilianstraße, with a large white Catholic building and a Protestant church with a pale green facade.

The coexistence of Catholic and Protestant churches on the same grounds here symbolizes the historical religious peace achieved in Augsburg, making it a historically significant tourist spot.

6. Schaezler Palace

Augsburg was home to several wealthy families besides the Fugger family, such as the banker Benedict Adam Liebert, who built the Schaezler Palace in the late 18th century. It is one of Augsburg’s most iconic Rococo buildings, known as the “Augsburg style.”

The grand “Festsaal” (Ballroom) is especially splendid, with creaky floors where Marie Antoinette is said to have danced at its inaugural ball! The ceiling is adorned with large Rococo-style frescoes. Now a state art gallery and German Baroque Art Museum, it showcases masterpieces by Dürer, Holbein, Burgkmair, and Cranach. The impressive art collection by Augsburg's wealthy merchants is also a highlight.

7. Augustus Fountain

In Augsburg’s City Hall Square, there is a fountain topped with a bronze statue of Emperor Augustus, after whom the city is named. Created by Renaissance sculptor Hubert Gerhard at the end of the 16th century, it uniquely combines marble and bronze materials. Although it is often overlooked due to its location beneath the City Hall and Perlach Tower, it is a historically significant structure symbolizing Augsburg's origins and is worth admiring.

If you walk south along Maximilianstraße from here, you’ll find the “Merkur Brunnen” (Mercury Fountain) and “Herkules Brunnen” (Hercules Fountain), which, along with the Augustus Fountain, are known as the city's three great fountains. These are must-see stops while exploring the city.

8. Mozarthaus

If you walk north along the main street from City Hall, you’ll see a dark red building—this is the Mozarthaus, known as the birthplace of Leopold Mozart, father of the renowned Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Built in the 17th century, this building blends into the surroundings, with no special markers indicating its historical significance.

It’s said that Leopold's family had been stonemasons for generations, and Leopold rose from an unpaid violinist to the second violinist in the Salzburg Court Orchestra. Although he wasn’t known for his composing talents, Leopold's greatest achievement is considered to be introducing Wolfgang to the world.

Inside, you can view the fortepiano made by Andreas Stein that both Leopold and Wolfgang used for practice, offering a glimpse into the roots of this musical genius. It’s also a fascinating site for seeing what life was like for ordinary German citizens at the time.

9. Puppet Theater Museum

At the southern end of Augsburg's old city is the puppet theater and marionette museum “Die Kiste.” This theater regularly performs popular programs, such as “Pinocchio” and the “Lonely Goatherd” from The Sound of Music.

This family-run theater has long divided tasks from puppet-making to puppeteering among family members. In the 1950s, performances of The Little Prince, Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White began to air on television, making it famous.

In Germany and Austria, marionette shows are very popular, and tickets for performances at this theater can be hard to come by without reservations. If tickets are unavailable, visitors can still enjoy seeing the charming wooden puppets in the museum.

10. St. Anne's Church

St. Anne’s Church, one of Augsburg's oldest churches, was built in 1321. Martin Luther stayed here under the priest Johann Frosch during the 1518 Augsburg questioning. Because of this, St. Anne's Church is known as the most prestigious Protestant church in Augsburg. Be sure to see the portrait of Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach displayed on the left side of the main altar.

This church is also famous for being the resting place of Jakob Fugger, the man who grew the Fugger family into wealthy merchants. Inside, you’ll find the majestic Fugger family tomb, created by Augsburg’s artists under Jakob’s direction. Alongside Jakob, his brother Ulrich, brother Georg, and nephew Raimund are also buried here.

It’s a recommended spot for tracing the footprints of two historical figures who shaped Augsburg’s history.

11. Fugger Houses

The Fugger family, famous merchants of Augsburg, once lived in the “Fugger Houses” along Maximilian Street, Augsburg’s main street. This complex combined the family’s residence and trading house, and it remains in the hands of the Fugger family’s descendants. Apart from a bank managed by the Fugger family, most of the complex is occupied by tenants, including restaurants and gift shops suited for the main street.

A highlight is the beautiful Renaissance-style courtyard called “Damenhof.” Now a café-restaurant, it’s worth visiting to see the lovely garden.

12. Maximilian Street

Maximilian Street serves as the main street in Augsburg's old city. Stretching from the City Hall Square to St. Ulrich & Afra Church, this wide street is also traversed by trams.

Along the street, you’ll find various attractions, including the City Hall, Perlach Tower, three major fountains, Fugger House, Schaezler Palace, and St. Ulrich and St. Afra Church. If you’re short on time, just walking the length of this street from end to end will allow you to see many key sites and experience the historic ambiance of Augsburg. Being the main street, there are also many restaurants, souvenir shops, and cafés to enjoy.

◎ Summary

Augsburg, Germany’s second-oldest city, is near Munich and has played an important economic and religious role over the centuries, attracting numerous tourists each year. It is a notable stop on Germany’s Romantic Road, the birthplace of Mozart’s father and the Fugger family, and a site of Martin Luther's Reformation. With its rich history, Augsburg, just a 30-minute train ride from Munich, is a must-visit destination in southern Germany.