Since its founding by the Roman Emperor Augustus, the city of Augsburg was an important stop for some of the most important trade and travel routes on the continent. During the Middle Ages the city owed its importance to its trade routes.
In the 13th century Augsburg was granted the status of a free imperial city. From the 14th century Augsburg was the base for the Fugger banking empire and an internationally important city, a city where emperors, famous artists, sculptors and composers lived. The face of Augsburg is characterized with over 2000-years of history in conjunction with its many major architectural sites.
Today Augsburg is the third largest city in Bavaria (275,000 inhabitants), it is a university town, the seat of the Swabian government, an important economic center with internationally known companies, as well as a city where young people love to live.
