Page 207 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

DRIVE 19: The Southern Romantic Road 205

The Fuggers Schaezlerpalais 0, built in 1765 as
In three generations, the Fugger the town palace of the banker Liebert
family went from being weav ers to von Liebenhofen and now a museum
bankers to the mighty Habsburgs. of German Baroque art (closed Mon).
The greatest of the dynasty was
Jakob Fugger the Rich, the wealth­ The former palace’s Rococo ballroom
iest businessman of his day, who is the venue for con certs in summer.
funded Charles V’s ascent to the In front of the Schaezlerpalais stands
throne of the Holy Roman Empire. the Herkulesbrunnen, or Hercules
His town palace in Augsburg hosted Fountain, one of three Renaissance
the meeting between Martin Luther fountains by Adriaen de Vries, com­
and Cardinal Cajetan and is to this
day home to the Fugger Privat bank. ple ted around 1600. Go north along
However, his most famous memorial Maximilianstrasse, past the Fugger
is the Fuggerei, the world’s first City Palace, or Fugger-Stadtpalast q,
social housing complex. to see the other foun tains: Merkur­
brunnen stands on Moritzplatz, a Above Magnificent coffered ceiling of the
houses is thought to be the world’s small square near the Rathausplatz, Goldener Saal, Rathaus, Augsburg Below left
oldest social housing com plex. One and Augustusbrunnen is in front of Baroque Rathaus, Friedberg Below right
of the apartments is preserved in its the Rathaus. Con ti nue on the Gardens at the rear of the Fuggerei, Augsburg
original condition as a museum. same road to the car park.
Head back to the city centre ª Take the B2/Friedberger
along Jakoberstrasse and turn Strasse to Friedberg. Paid park­
left into Oberer Graben, on ing is next to the Rathaus. EAT AND DRINK IN AUGSBURG
the far side of which is the Die Ecke expensive
artisans’ quar ter, or 2 Friedberg Situated down a flight of steps at the
Handwerkerviertel 8, Detail on the balustrade, Bavaria; 86316 side of the Rathaus, this gourmet rest au­
a charm ing district of Fugger Chapel Founded by King Ludwig rant is an Augsburg favourite, serving
winding lanes. It was in II in 1264, Friedberg is an refined German cuisine with wines
from France, Italy and Germany.
one of the houses in this dis trict, at impressive sight, snug behind well­ Elias-Holl-Platz 2, 86152; 0821 51 06
Vorderer Lech, that Hans Holbein the preserved town walls. The town’s hill­ 00; www.restaurant-die-ecke.de
Younger was born; the house was top Altstadt is rather over­restored, Maximilian’s expensive
destroyed in World War II. In its place but there is a fine 17th­cen tury Changing seasonal and regional dishes
stands the Kunstverein Augsburg Rathaus. Just beyond the fortifica­ are prepared in an open kitchen. There
(closed Mon), which hosts temporary tions is the Wittelsbacher Schloss. At is also a selection of tapas­sized culinary
exhibi tions of modern art. Continue the eastern end of Herrgottsruhstrasse delights. Advance booking is advisable.
along Vorderer Lech into Bäckergasse; stands Herrgottsruh (open daily). Built Maximilianstrasse 40, 86150; 0821
503 60; www.steigenberger.com
at the end, turn right up Milchberg between 1731 and 1753, this church is
to St Ulrich und Afra 9, a late­ one of the finest examples of Bavarian Other options
Gothic church which domi nates the Rococo. It contains marvellous murals König von Flandern (Karolinenstrasse
12, 86152; 0821 15 80 50), a micro­
south ern part of the Altstadt. Begun by Cosmas Damian Asam, the most brewery, serves excellent beers and
in 1474, it was not completed until prolific painter in Bavaria of his time. regio nal food. Also worth trying is the
1603 and contains the tombs of St ª Return along Augsburger Strasse Ratskeller in the vaulted cellar of the
Ulrich, St Afra and St Simpert. North and take the B300/ Haunstetter Strasse Rathaus (Rathausplatz 2, 86150; 0821
31 98 82 38). The cheapest meals in
from here stret ches Maximilianstrasse, south from the city. This joins the B17 town are at the stand­up stalls in the
lined with mansions and cafés. to Landsberg am Lech, where there is Stadtmarkt off Annastrasse – a lunch­
Among the grand est man sions is the limited parking on the main square. time favourite with locals.

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