The third-largest city in Bavaria, Augsburg has a long history.

Founded by the Romans and named after the Emperor Augustus, the city’s heyday occurred during the Renaissance, when it derived its great wealth from several industries, including textile, armor, and gold- and silver-smithing.

Its commercial success, however, didn’t prevent Augsburg from being embroiled in the religious tensions of the era. The Augsburg Confession was first presented in the city, and the Peace of Augsburg, which put to rest the struggles between Catholics and Protestants, was concluded in 1555.

For today’s visitor, Augsburg makes a great day trip from Munich – it’s just 40 minutes away by train!

Here are the 11 best historic things to see in Augsburg!

1. Fuggerei

I asked a German friend what to see in Augsburg and the reply was: the Fuggerei.

The Fuggerei, named after its founder Jakob Fugger the Rich, is the world’s oldest public housing project still in use. It was founded in 1516 to provide homes for the city’s needy and still does so today.

For a small fee, visitors can wander the peaceful streets of the complex. Four museums are scattered throughout, including one that shows how the earliest residents would have lived in the 16^th century.

Travel tip: Entrance to the Fuggerei is included when you take the official city tour.

2. Rathaus (City Hall)

Designed by Elias Holl and built between 1615 and 1624, Augsburg’s town hall is one of the most significant secular Renaissance buildings north of the Alps. (Most administrative functions, however, take place in another building.)

The highlight is the 552 sq m (5,940 sq ft) Golden Hall, which was painstakingly restored after being damaged during the Second World War. I had a literal “Oh wow!” moment when I saw the gilt walnut ceiling and murals for the first time.

3. Canals and fountains

Augsburg lies at the confluence of the rivers Lech and Wertach. For centuries, the city has used a system of water management, including innovative hydraulic engineering systems, to supply water to its residents. In fact, the city’s water management system is so impressive, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.

For the average visitor, the most accessible part of this water system is by observing the many canals throughout the city, which gives Augsburg a bit of a Venice-like feel. Beautiful, yet functional, fountains are also scattered throughout.

Travel tip: There’s a small exhibit about Augsburg’s water management system located right next to the tourist information center in the main town square.

4. Perlachturm

This symbol of the city of Augsburg is a bell tower with an impressive 1,000-year history. First recorded around 989 as a watchtower, the Renaissance structure seen today was designed by Elias Holl, the same man responsible for designing Augsburg’s Rathaus.

Travel tip: The Perlachturm is closed to visitors until 2027, but when it reopens, it promises include a museum inside the tower itself – in addition to offering the best views of the city.

5. Augsburg Cathedral

The history of Augsburg’s main Catholic cathedral dates back to at least the 9^th century. The current structure is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles.

The cathedral’s highlights include what’s widely believed to be the oldest stained-glass windows in the world (they depict the Old Testament prophets Jonah, Daniel, Hosea, and Moses and date to about 1140) and works by painter Hans Holbein the Elder, whose son and namesake Hans Holbein the Younger remains famous as portraitist to the English king Henry VIII.

Travel tip: The cathedral’s 11^th century bronze doors are now located in the adjacent cathedral museum.

6. Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra

This former Benedictine abbey lies at the southern end of Maximilianstraße, Augsburg’s main thoroughfare. The 93m-high tower, capped with an onion dome, is said to have sparked the onion-dome craze in church architecture that can be found all over Bavaria.

The tombs of local saints Afra, Ulrich, and Simpert are found here. Afra lived in the 4^th century and was martyred in the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian. Ulrich and Simpert were bishops of Augsburg. For those who like a bit of trivia, in 993 Ulrich was the first person declared a saint by a pope (before then, the local bishop declared someone a saint).

7. Schaezlerpalais

Carl Albert von Lespilliez designed this palace for banker Liebert von Liebenhofen; it was built between 1765 and 1770. It houses German art, but its centerpiece is an elaborate Rococo ballroom, considered to be the finest piece of Rococo architecture in Germany.

8. Weberhaus

This reconstruction of a weaver’s house just south of Fuggerplatz is eye-catching thanks to the colorful exterior paintings. They depict scenes from the history of the weaver’s guild in Augsburg. It was thanks in part to the successful textile industry – in which the weaver’s guild played an important role – that Augsburg became a wealthy and important city in the 15^th and 16^th centuries.

Travel tip: You can visit the Augsburg Textile and Industry Museum to learn more about the history of the textile industry and Augsburg’s place in it. Museum information is mostly in German, however.

9. Leopold Mozart Haus

Mozart superfans may have already known that the famous Austrian composer had family roots in Augsburg. Wolfgang Amadeus’ father, Leopold Mozart, was born in Augsburg in this very house, which is now a museum.

Travel tip: Leopold’s grandfather – Wolfgang Amadeus’ great-grandfather – once resided in the Fuggerei. You can see a plaque marking the apartment where he lived.

10. Maximilianmuseum

The Maximilianmuseum, named after King Maximilian II, is located in a former patrician’s house. The museum showcases examples of Augsburg’s craftsmanship. The city was once a leading center of goldsmithing and other arts; examples of this art can be found here.

11. St. Anne’s Church

Once a Carmelite monastery, now a Protestant church, St. Anne’s Church is the burial place of the Fugger family, whose chapel remained Catholic despite the church’s change of denomination. The Rococo interior is impressive, but so is the quieter Goldsmith’s chapel with its painted frescos depicting Christ’s passion and the Last Judgement.

Perhaps most historically significant is that it was here where Martin Luther stayed when he came to Augsburg to meet the papal legate and answer for his 95 theses. Luther fled from St. Anne’s and Augsburg to avoid arrest after he refused to recant.

What are you most excited to see on a trip to Augsburg? Let me know in the comments!