Water engineering, Renaissance history and museums offer different perspectives on Augsburg. There is also a textile trail and green urban spaces. Those choosing the city for a stay can explore architectural history, historical exhibitions and routes covering different aspects of the city’s past.
Augsburg’s Water Management and Its Structures
The Augsburg Water Management System developed in successive phases over more than seven centuries. The city’s innovative water engineering played a defining role. One specific part of this heritage is the Waterworks at the Red Gate: since 2019, it has been a key element of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Augsburg Water Management System.”
The complex comprises three water towers, two master well keepers’ houses and a brick aqueduct. The Upper Master Well Keeper’s House and the Small Water Tower are home to a permanent exhibition on the history of Augsburg’s drinking water supply. It complements the view of the structures with the history of water provision. If you plan to visit the exhibition, check the latest information about the details before your visit.
The Renaissance, the Fugger Family and Brecht’s Birthplace
Augsburg Town Hall was built by Elias Holl between 1615 and 1620. The Golden Hall was completed in 1624. These two dates mark different stages in the building’s history. Those interested in the Renaissance in Augsburg can find a tangible point of entry in the Town Hall and the hall.
The Fuggerei, too, can be explored through its history: the Fuggerei Museum and the World War bunker explain the history of the settlement. A signposted walking tour leads through Augsburg’s city centre to sites connected with the Fugger family. These include the Fuggerei, the Fugger Chapel at St. Anna, the Fugger Monument, the Fugger Houses, the Cathedral, the Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra, and the Renaissance Town Hall.
Another biographical landmark is associated with Bertolt Brecht. He was born in a small Augsburg craftsman’s house in the Lechviertel, not far from the historic Town Hall. The details of his birthplace and the stops on the Fugger walking tour offer different ways to explore the history of the city centre.
Textile History and Puppet Theatre
The Augsburg State Textile and Industry Museum, known as “tim,” is dedicated to the once Europe-wide significance of Augsburg’s textile industry. Machinery, patterns and the “catwalk of fashion history” are among the elements the museum uses to document this historical significance. The Textile Trail takes a different approach: it runs through Augsburg’s Textile Quarter and uses 13 information panels to explain the origins of the district and the significance and function of its facilities.
Augsburg’s museum culture also includes the puppet theatre museum “die Kiste.” It is located at the home of the Augsburg Puppet Theatre in the Heilig-Geist-Spital and displays puppets from the marionette theatre’s television series. Together with “tim,” it offers a range of exhibits from industrial and textile history to characters from television.
Green Urban Spaces and Guided Tours
The Siebentischwald forest lies within Augsburg’s city limits. The Siebentischanlagen are a separate area: the city created them in the 19th century as a landscape park close to the city centre. The two places showcase different aspects of Augsburg’s green urban spaces.
Various guided tours are offered at the Augsburg Botanical Garden. Kindergarten and schoolchildren can also go on a voyage of discovery there. If you plan to take a guided tour, check the arrangements before your visit. This makes it easy to include this activity in your travel plans alongside historic sites, museums and routes through the city.
Discover more destinations: Wehringen, Scherstetten, Langerringen, Bobingen, Königsbrunn, Dinkelscherben, Meitingen, Diedorf
For the main travel overview: Augsburg.
