Do you know the oldest “social settlement” in the world? The Fuggerei was founded in 1521 by Jakob Fugger “the Rich” for innocently impoverished Augsburg citizens. Even today, people with low incomes can live there for 88 cents – the equivalent of one guilder – annual rent plus “three daily prayers for the founder’s family.” Visitors experience an extremely exciting journey back into history as they walk through the idyllic alleys with their small, partly leafy row houses. The neighborhood comprises 67 houses and has been separated from the surrounding area by a wall since its origins. Even today, the gates are closed at 10:00 pm.
