The Fuggerei is a social housing settlement in Augsburg, Germany, founded in 1521 by Jakob Fugger in his own name and that of his brothers. It is widely described as the world’s oldest existing social housing complex and has continued to serve its original purpose for five centuries.34
The settlement was established to provide housing for people in need from Augsburg. Today, about 150 Catholic residents live there; the official site describes the community as comprising 67 buildings, 142 residences and its own church. Residents pay an annual base rent of €0.88 and are expected to say three prayers daily.3
The project is maintained and administered through the Fugger foundations rather than public subsidies. The Fuggerei Förderstiftung states that foundation assets finance construction, ongoing maintenance, modernization and administration, and that these funds are dedicated to the foundation’s purpose.9 The Fuggersche Stiftungs-Administration is identified in the official visitor information as the organisation managing the Fuggerei and other Fugger foundations.7
The settlement also has a public-facing cultural role. Visitors can see its museums, a reconstructed historic apartment and an exhibition in a World War II bunker; admission is charged.3 Its activities therefore combine residential support for eligible Augsburg residents with the preservation and presentation of the settlement’s history.39