Fuggerei

The Fuggerei in Augsburg is the world's oldest social housing complex still in use, and one of the most unusual things to do in Bavaria. Founded in 1521 by the merchant banker Jakob Fugger "the Rich," it still houses around 150 people in need, who pay a symbolic rent set five centuries ago. Behind its gates you'll find quiet lanes of ocher-colored row houses, a small church and several small museums, all just minutes from Augsburg's old town.

A 500-year-old charity

Jakob Fugger was one of the wealthiest men of the Renaissance, and a financier of the Habsburg emperors. He had the settlement built from 1516 and signed its founding charter on August 23, 1521. Bombing raids in February 1944 destroyed about two-thirds of the complex, but reconstruction began right after the war, and today the Fuggerei counts 67 houses with 140 apartments along eight lanes. It is still run by the Fugger family foundations.

The rent is the stuff of legend: €0.88 per year, the equivalent of one Rhenish guilder, plus utilities. Residents must be from Augsburg, Catholic and in need, and they are asked to say three daily prayers for the founder and his family. One famous former resident: Franz Mozart, great-grandfather of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, lived here from 1681 until his death in 1694.

What to see

• Fuggerei Museum, including the last apartment preserved in its original state, furnished in 18th-century style
• A show apartment that reveals how residents live today
• An exhibition inside a World War II air-raid bunker about the destruction and rebuilding
• St. Mark's Church, built in 1581–82
• The doorbell pulls, each with a different handle, said to have helped residents find their door in the dark

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, according to the Fugger Foundations:

• April to September: daily 9 am–8 pm
• October to March: daily 9 am–6 pm; closed on Christmas Eve
• Adults €8, reduced €7, children 8–17 €4, under 8 free, family ticket €18

Admission covers the museums, the bunker and the historic apartment. You can pay by card at the entrance or book online. A public guided tour runs every Saturday at 3 pm.

How to get there

Augsburg is one of the easiest day trips from Munich: trains take roughly 30 to 45 minutes, and regional services are covered by the Deutschlandticket. From Königsplatz, the city's central tram hub, take tram line 1 to the Fuggerei stop; the main entrance is at Jakoberstrasse 26. If you are already exploring the old town, it is a short walk from the Rathausplatz. Parking nearby is very limited, so drivers should use the downtown or City-Galerie garages.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, and it pairs perfectly with the rest of Augsburg, from the Renaissance town hall to the city's UNESCO-listed historic water management system. Allow one to one and a half hours. Remember that this is a living neighborhood, home to many elderly residents: keep your voice down, don't peer into windows, and keep dogs on a leash. The gate is locked from 10 pm to 5 am, and latecomers among the residents still pay the night watchman a small fee to get in, a tradition visitors love to hear about.

The site is a listed monument and not fully barrier-free, but most paths are paved and the museums have ramps, except the bunker. Wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge at the ticket desk, and the Tafeldecker restaurant by the entrance has step-free access.