Discover Augsburg: Water engineering, Fugger history and green urban spaces

Augsburg tells its story in surprisingly different ways: water engineering, Fugger history and important traces of the textile industry sit alongside green urban spaces and activities for young explorers. When planning a trip, you can therefore choose between a focus on the city’s history, museum visits and experiences in nature.

Water engineering through the centuries

Augsburg’s Water Management System developed over more than seven centuries, in successive phases. The city shaped this development through innovative water engineering. Since 2019, the Waterworks at the Red Gate has been a central component of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Augsburg Water Management System”. The complex includes three water towers, two master well keeper’s houses and a brick aqueduct—landmarks in a history that is not limited to a single structure.

The permanent exhibition on the history of Augsburg’s drinking water supply also brings this subject to life. It is now located in the Upper Master Well Keeper’s House and the Small Water Tower at the Waterworks at the Red Gate. Alongside the buildings, you can also explore the drinking water supply and its history.

Fugger history and the Renaissance

A signposted walking tour leads through Augsburg’s city centre to sites associated with Fugger history. These include the Fuggerei, the Fugger Chapel at St. Anna, the Fugger Monument and the Fugger Houses, as well as the cathedral, the Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra, and the Renaissance Town Hall. The stops connect different chapters of the city’s history with buildings and places in the centre.

Elias Holl built the Town Hall between 1615 and 1620; the Golden Hall was completed in 1624. Those wishing to delve deeper into Renaissance economic history can explore it through an innovative, interactive presentation at the Fugger and Welser Adventure Museum. The Fuggerei Museum and the World War II bunker explain the history of the Fuggerei. Together, these offer several different ways to explore the history of the city and the Fugger family.

Textile history, theatre and literature

In the Textile Quarter, the Textile Trail leads through the district. Thirteen information panels explain how it developed, as well as the significance and function of its facilities. The State Textile and Industrial Museum Augsburg, known as “tim”, documents the once Europe-wide importance of Augsburg’s textile industry through machinery, patterns and its “Catwalk of Fashion History”. The trail and museum offer different perspectives: one focuses on explanations of the district, the other on the history of the industry through exhibits.

Literature and puppet theatre are also part of Augsburg’s story. Bertolt Brecht was born in a small craftsman’s house in the Lech Quarter, not far from the historic Town Hall. The puppet theatre museum “die Kiste”, located at the Augsburg Puppet Theatre’s venue in the Heilig-Geist-Spital, displays figures from the marionette theatre’s television series.

Green urban spaces and discoveries with children

Alongside its cultural attractions, the city has several green spaces. The Siebentisch Forest lies within Augsburg’s city limits. In the 19th century, the city created the Siebentisch Park as a landscaped park close to the centre. If you would also like to include nature and parks in your trip planning, you can consider these urban spaces as an interest in their own right alongside museums and historic sites.

Various guided tours are offered at the Botanical Garden, where nursery and school-age children can also go exploring. This is one way to combine a garden visit with discoveries suitable for children. When choosing a holiday apartment in Augsburg, it may help to think ahead about whether your stay will focus more on historical subjects, museum visits, the walking tour, or green urban spaces.

Discover more places

If you’d also like to discover other places in the selection: Stadtbergen, Langweid am Lech, Bobingen, Ustersbach, Königsbrunn, Scherstetten, Lechfeld and Adelsried.

For the main travel overview: Augsburg.