The attached video taken from our apartment (level 26 of tower block) is looking from east through south to west and it is clear how flat the area is around here.
By 9.30 the weather had cleared and so we started a walking tour of the city based upon all things Fugger, the highlight being the Fuggerei.
The Fuggerei has been a social housing project since 1521 and is the oldest such project in the world. The project was started by Jakob Fugger (Jakob the rich) who created a charter of foundation in August 1521 and that charter is still valid today. The most important stipulation is that you must be a Catholic, an Augsburg resident who is in need and if you are granted accommodation you may live here whilst you remain in need.
The cost of the accommodation is three prayers a day and 88 euro cents in annual rent plus a further 88 euro cents annually that is paid to the in-house priest. These figures aren’t a misprint!
On average residents stay at the Fuggerei for 13.9 years and not unsurprisingly the largest proportion are widows.
When Jakob Fugger passed away in 1525 the Fuggerei with 52 houses had already been completed according to his plan and he stipulated in the charter that it was always to be kept in good shape and expanded when possible.
Today it comprises 140 flats in 67 houses as well as buildings for the administration and workshops.
Having been upgraded over the years they meet today’s living standards coming with modern bathrooms and heating and are wired for television and the internet. Television was permitted from 1973 provided no aerial was visible.
According to the charter the Fuggerei is to exist for all eternity and among this is ensured by sustainable funding which since the 17th century has been based upon forestry and supplemented today by entrance fees for visitors.
The administration of it is now under control of members from three branches of the Fugger family, they being the 19th generation who have voluntarily administered the charter.
The doors to the complex are locked at 10 each night and if a resident wishes to enter after that time they must pay €1 to have the doors opened.
Truly a remarkable housing project that is now over 500 years old.
Another stop on our Fugger tour was a stop at the Damenhof a courtyard area in one of Fugger’s houses in the style of Italian Renaissance. It was here that Martin Luther was interrogated by Cardinal Cajetan.
The Mozart family is well associated with Augsburg - Wolfgang’s great-grand father was associated with the Fuggerei where he was a master builder while his father Leopold was born in the house below
Leopold in his own right was an excellent musician and accomplished composer, as well as fathering two musical child prodigies.
Another “highlight” today were the church bells. As we walked to our first stop on the Fugger tour church bells all around the area started and as one started to die down another started to ring out so much so there were continuous peeling of bells from 10.00 to 10.45 - we wouldn’t mind $100 for every church within a 3 square kilometre of the central city area, they do seem overpopulated!
A couple of photos of an area close to our digs
There are numerous permanent table tennis tables set up in the large park
Kms driven to date 2054
Kms walked to date 322.3
Spent on Diesel €129.66
Highest price paid to date for diesel €1.579 Würzburg
Lowest price paid to date for diesel €1.479 Freiburg
Spent on tolls €0
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