Fuggerei by jayhawk2000
The aforementioned Fuggers, a wealthy family of local merchants, established what is said to be the world's oldest example of social housing in 1521.The Fuggerei is a self-contained walled district of about 70 houses. Its 150 residents continue to pay the traditional rent of three daily prayers to the Fuggers plus an annual peppercorn payment of one guilder (calculated today at 88 euro cents). However, the three gates to the settlement close each evening and residents who miss the lock-out are required to cough up.
It's a pleasant area for a stroll amongst the amber-coloured buildings covered in ivy. House number 14 is home to the Fugger history museum, complete with an apartment showing 400-year-old original furnishings.
The website has opening hours and admission charges for visitors. The museum has just been remodeled so maybe they are being more strict about collecting an entrance fee, but on our visit the gatehouse was empty and we entered without paying.
