Discover Augsburg: Water Heritage, Culture and Green Routes

Augsburg brings together water engineering, Fugger history, an industrial past, museums and routes through the city and its green spaces. If you're looking for a hotel in Augsburg, your travel interests can be a good starting point: would you like to focus on the historic water system, visit museums, or combine the city's history with a walking tour?

Water Engineering and Town Hall History

Augsburg's Water Management System developed over more than seven centuries, in successive phases shaped by the city's innovative water engineering. Since 2019, the waterworks at the Red Gate have been a central part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Augsburg Water Management System.” The waterworks include three water towers, two master waterworks' houses and a brick aqueduct. The individual structures provide different architectural points of reference for exploring the subject.

The Upper Master Waterworks' House and the Small Water Tower now house a permanent exhibition on the history of Augsburg's drinking water supply. If you plan to visit the exhibition, check the latest information before your visit.

The Town Hall also provides a clear link to the city's history: Elias Holl built it between 1615 and 1620, and the Golden Hall was completed in 1624. The two dates distinguish the construction period of the Town Hall from the later completion of the hall.

Fugger History, Museums and Walking Tours

The history of the Fuggerei can be explored at two named sites: the Fuggerei Museum and the World War II bunker explain the history of the settlement. The Fugger and Welser Adventure Museum presents Augsburg's economic history during the Renaissance in an innovative and interactive way.

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, the Fugger Houses, the cathedral, the Basilica of St. Ulrich and St. Afra, and the Renaissance Town Hall. This lets you explore the listed sites as part of a themed walking tour, rather than considering individual buildings and the history of the Fugger family separately.

Another biographical connection is Bertolt Brecht's birthplace: he was born in a small Augsburg craftsman's house in the Lechviertel, not far from the historic Town Hall.

Textile History and Puppet Theatre

The Textile Trail leads through Augsburg's Textile Quarter. Thirteen information panels explain how the quarter came into being, as well as the importance and function of its facilities. The State Textile and Industry Museum Augsburg, known as tim, documents the once Europe-wide significance of Augsburg's textile industry with machines, patterns and its “Catwalk of Fashion History.” The trail covers the origins of the quarter and the function of its facilities, while the museum focuses on the industry's former importance.

The puppet theatre museum “die Kiste” reveals another side of cultural history: it is located at the Augsburg Puppet Theatre's venue in the Heilig-Geist-Spital and displays characters from the marionette theatre's television series.

Green Spaces and Routes in Augsburg

The Siebentisch Forest lies within Augsburg's city limits. The Siebentischanlagen park is a separate area: the city created it in the 19th century as a landscaped park close to the city centre. The two names refer to different green spaces and to different aspects of the city's history.

Various guided tours are offered at the Augsburg Botanical Garden, where kindergarten and schoolchildren can also set off on a journey of discovery. If you plan to join a tour, check the relevant dates and arrangements beforehand.

More Routes in the Augsburg Travel Region

The wider Augsburg travel region offers additional nature and walking themes. Augsburg district has an extensive network of cycle paths. The LandArt Bonstetten art trail is a 5.65-kilometre circular hiking route; along the trail, the artist Hama Lohrmann personally explains his sculptures. The three-kilometre meditation trail runs from the Oberschönenfeld Cistercian Abbey to Weiherhof, along the edge of the forest in the Schwarzachtal valley. At three kilometres, it is shorter than the Bonstetten circular hiking route.

Stauden, Holzwinkel and Reischenau are part of the Augsburg — Western Forests Nature Park. Westwood Alpacas offers regular alpaca hikes and excursions through the nature park. These regional themes complement Augsburg's city walks with routes and activities in the wider travel region.

Discover more destinations: Langweid am Lech, Zusmarshausen, Ehingen, Scherstetten, Langerringen, Diedorf, Wehringen, Aystetten

Back to the overview of the wider travel region: Augsburg.