Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rising above the square are the twin onion-domed spires of the Renaissance
Rathaus
,
built by Elias Holl from 1615 to 1620 and crowned by a 4m-tall pine cone, the city's em-
blem (also an ancient fertility symbol). Upstairs is the
Goldener Saal
(Rathausplatz;
adult/concession €3/2; 10am-6pm)
, a huge banquet hall with an amazing gilded and
frescoed coffered ceiling.
For panoramic views over Rathausplatz and the city, climb to the top of the
Per-
lachturm
(Rathausplatz; adult/child €1.50/1; 10am-6pm daily Apr-Nov)
, a former
guard tower, and also an Elias Holl creation.
St Anna Kirche
(Im Annahof 2, off Annastrasse; 10am-12.30pm & 3-6pm Tue-Sat, 10am-12.30pm &
3-4pm Sun)
Often regarded as the first Renaissance church in Germany, the rather plain-
looking (and well-hidden) St Anna Kirche contains a bevy of treasures, as well as the
sumptuous
Fuggerkapelle
, where Jacob Fugger and his brothers lie buried, and the lav-
ishly frescoed
Goldschmiedekapelle
(Goldsmiths' Chapel; 1420). The church played an
important role during the Reformation. In 1518 Martin Luther, in town to defend his be-
liefs before the papal legate, stayed at what was then a Carmelite monastery. His rooms
have been turned into the
Lutherstiege
, a small museum about the Reformation, under
renovation at the time of writing.
CHURCH
Maximilianmuseum
( 324 4102; Philippine-Welser-Strasse 24; adult/child €7/5.50; 10am-5pm Wed-
Sun, to 8pm Tue)
The Maximilianmuseum occupies two patrician town houses joined by a
statue-studded courtyard covered by a glass-and-steel roof. Highlights include a fabulous
collection of Elias Holl's original wooden models for his architectural creations, and a
collection of gold and silver coins that can be viewed through sliding magnifying glass
panels. Opening to the courtyard is a chic cafe where kids won't want to miss turning the
pages of the 'magic book' that brings Augsburg's history to life.
MUSEUM
Bertolt-Brecht-Haus
( 324 2779; Auf dem Rain 7; adult/concession €2.50/2; 10am-5pm Wed-Sun, to
8pm Tue)
Opened in 1998 to celebrate local boy Bertolt Brecht's 100th birthday, this
house museum is the birthplace of the famous playwright and poet, where he lived for the
first two years of his life (from 1898 to 1900) before moving across town. Among the dis-
plays are old theatre posters and a great series of life-size chronological photos, as well as
his mother's bedroom.
MUSEUM
