The Maximilianstrasse is Augsburg’s showpiece boulevard, lined by the former town palaces of wealthy merchants and an impressive town hall. Among Augsburg’s most famous sites is one of the world’s oldest public housing developments, the Fuggerei. Founded in 1521 by banker Jakob Fugger, the apartments it contains are today still being let out to the needy for an annual rent of 88 cents a year. Visitors can also view a model apartment.

Augsburg played a leading role in the development of the textile industry in the 19th century. The old worsted yarn spinning mill, the Kammgarnspinnerei, is a masterpiece of industrial architecture. Today, it’s home to the textile museum, which contains a large selection of fabric samples and many exhibits of fashion design.

Another legendary institution in Augsburg is the Puppenkiste. Marionettes at the puppet theater have been entertaining the city’s children for generations. Another dramatic great, Bertolt Brecht, was born in Augsburg in 1898. The house where he was born is a museum today.