Augsburg – city of the Fuggers
While the splendor of the city of Augsburg is praised in a proverb next to Venice’s power, Stefan Zweig once thanked the city for “one of the strongest visual impressions that a German city has ever given me”. We’re talking about Augsburg, the third largest city in the Free State of Bavaria.
In the year 15 BC. Founded under Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire, as Augusta Vindelicorum – and as the provincial capital of the Roman province of Rhaetia – is probably the second oldest city in Germanyback to a fabulous story in which it was supposed to achieve a meaning the extent of which can hardly be overemphasized. The early modern times marked the most important phase of the city – a phase that was characterized by political and religious decisions as well as an economic rise of imposing strength:
The Augsburg Synod of Martyrs took place in Augsburg in 1527, an international gathering of delegates from the Anabaptists who were later to be persecuted so cruelly. At the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, Philipp Melanchthon formulated the Confessio Augustana, the Lutheran creed that is still valid today. The next important decision was ordered by Emperor Charles V in 1548: the so-called “Augsburger Interim”, an imperial law that was intended to regulate the ecclesiastical and religious situation in the empire for a transitional period, but had to be withdrawn in 1552.
According to zipcodesexplorer, the undisputed most important event in the city’s history to date was the establishment of the religious peace named after it, which was signed in 1555 at the Augsburg Reichstag. Ferdinand I concluded this peace with the imperial estates – with the power of attorney from his brother Emperor Charles V. Religious peace was an important stage victory for the princes over central imperial power and the idea of a universal Christian empire. At the same time as the religious peace, a state peace was passed, which brought the empire a long time of inner peace.
But Augsburg is also famous for the Fugger family and is the only city in the world (besides Weißenhorn) to be called “Fugger City”. These Fuggers, a Swabian family that had been based in Augsburg since 1367, were able to achieve world renown with the Fuggerische Handelsgesellschaft founded by Jakob the Elder. By handling the Roman indulgence trade in 1476 and with the support of Emperor Maximilian I, they were able to open up enormous branches of business, lend the Pope money to recruit the first Swiss Guard and, in 1519, on the occasion of the impending election of Charles I of Spain as Roman Emperor, huge sums of money to bribe of the elector. Direct descendants of Jakob the Elder still live in Swabia today.
But modern Augsburg is not without importance either, it is a strong economic area in Bavaria. It is shaped by the large works of industrial companies, by traditional breweries and the well-known trade fairs that take place every year in Augsburg.
But most visitors to the city find it just beautiful, imposing, rich and overwhelming. The old town, which was so badly damaged in the Second World War, shines again in almost its old splendor, stretches towards the sky with its wonderful cathedral, which is up to 62 meters high, and impresses with one of the most magnificent town halls in Germany. The Fugger houses on the indescribably magnificent Maximilianstrasse date from the 16th century and bear witness to the former wealth of the city’s most famous family, while the 70-meter-high Perlach Tower gives Augsburg’s old town an inimitable landmark. And if all of this is not enough for you, you should cross one of the city’s 500 bridges – be it over one of the three rivers or one of the countless canals in the Lech district.
Note
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| Name of the city | augsburg |
| Other names | Fugger city of Augsburg |
| Country | Federal Republic of Germany |
| Location | Augsburg is located in the German state of Bavaria, 60 km from Munich and 70 km each from Ulm and Ingolstadt. |
| Region | Administrative region of Swabia |
| Landmark | Augsburger Rathaus Perlachturm (also jokingly the one) “Augsburger Müllberg” |
| Function of the city | Seat of the government of Swabia Seat of the district of Swabia Seat of the District Office Augsburg Important business and trade fair location University town Bishop’s seat of the Roman Catholic diocese Seat of the Protestant church district Augsburg Tourism city |
| particularities | August 8th has been the only public holiday in a German city since 1650: the “High Peace Festival” to commemorate the end of the Thirty Years’ War |
| Area | 147 km² |
| Population | approx. 295,000 |
| Ethnicities | Germans About 16.7% of city residents were born outside of Germany |
| Languages | German (Augsburg dialect) |
| Religions | Especially Roman Catholic and Protestant Christianity. In addition, there are also free churches, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists |
| National currency | Euro (1 € = 100 cents) |
| Adjacent waters | Lech (river) Wertach (river) Singold (river) Lakes and streams in the urban area of canals in the Lechviertel |
| Official website of the city | www.augsburg.de |
| Tourist center | Regio Augsburg Tourismus GmbH Schießgrabenstrasse 14 86150 Augsburg Tel: 0049 – (0) 821 – 502070 Fax: 0049 – (0) 821 – 5020745 |
| Telephone code with country code | 0049 – (0) 821 – participant number |
| Time | CET or CEST (Central European Summer Time) in summer |
| Line voltage, line frequency | 230/400 volts and 50 hertz |
| License Plate | A. |
| Soccer | FC Augsburg |