Maximilianstraße (Augsburg)

The Maximilian Street (formerly called wine market ) in the old city of Augsburg is one of the most historically significant art streets in southern Germany.

History

Origins of the road

The origins of the Maximilian street date back to Roman times. Shortly after the founding of the military camp Augusta Vindelicorum at the confluence of the Lech and Wertach in the year 15 BC, a road was laid out between the newly formed settlement and northern Italy. About today's Maximilian road Via Claudia Augusta was this just part of the journey from City Hall to Mercury fountain, from where they took their way across Dominikanergasse and Predigerberg to present Haunstetter road and continue south. The Via Claudia Augusta quickly developed into the most important trade route between Rome and its new province of Raetia and remained so until the late Middle Ages.

The wine market

Until 1771 the street was called wine market, then it was called Royal Road. They represented less of a real road rather than a sequence of courses that were organized at best by the 1599 built Mercury fountain and the Hercules fountain from 1602. On the way from City Hall to the Church of St. Ulrich and Afra you passed the Moritz place the bread market, the wood market and finally the wine market.

With the gradual advancement of Augsburg, the most powerful European financial metropolis of the 16th century patrician families, bankers and merchants settled in the wine market, and built there their trade offices and residential buildings. Here were representative buildings such as the Fugger houses, the Schaezlerpalais, the Roeck - house and the palace-like hotel built in " to the Three Moors ". Due to the partial time already extortionate prices for Building Sites on the street facades were often narrow, instead, the houses extended far beyond backwards and became the interruption of the buildings with courtyards provided. Ocular example of this - even later still widely used - building practice is the magnificent Schaezlerpalais from the 18th century with a width of 19 meters with a building depth of 107 m. From the facade paintings that were in the 18th century on the wine market as a fashionable, today almost no residues are present.

The long wine market was in the midst of today's Maximilian Street and was bounded on the north and south of buildings that stood on the present Maximilian street in the middle. In this place not only wine was sold, he also played as the largest central square of the city also has an important role in events such as the Reichstag, processions and tournaments.

Dance House and Seal House

In the middle of today's Maximilian Street, between St. Moritz Square and the wine market, was built in the 1453 dance house. In his basement, the house of bread and the Metzg were housed. Upstairs the ballroom was. Here sumptuous gender dances took place, but also ordinary citizens as artisans stood there for their dances available. It was also an important gathering and was used for the Reichstag and visits of the king. The dance house was 1626/33 demolished.

Direction south of the wine market has been limited by the municipal seal of House since 1604; before there was the built in 1602 Herkulesbrunnen. The Seal House was a magnificent three-storey building, which was built by the city architect Elias Holl. In this house, the wines were tested and after the rise of the so -called Ungeldes, a kind of consumption tax for retail sale, sealed.

A long row of houses of salt and wine Blame joined on the south side of the seal of the house, separated the block from here to the square in front of St. Ulrich and Afra, where was still a wine shop.

The Hercules fountain in front of the seal of House ( 1770 )

19th century

In 1809, the seal was torn down with the wine and salt blame, creating a road brochure was created, which is now released the view of the mighty Ulrich church in the south. After canceling the Siegel house was the newly created street - in honor of the Bavarian King Maximilian I Joseph - renamed " Maximilian street ". We used the upper Maximilian Street, which had become very wide through the demolition, for markets, such as for the Frühjahrsdult.

The devastating British air raid on Augsburg in February 1944 survived the building of the upper Maximilian street relatively unscathed. Hit hard, however, were the town hall, the Perlachturm and the Fugger houses.

20th century

For the 1000 year celebration of the Battle of Lechfeld in 1955 was christened the small space- like extension of the Maximilian street in front of Ulrich church on " Ulrichsplatz ". 1957 finally changed the naming around the Maximilian street: official patron was now Emperor Maximilian I, who liked to keep his life in Augsburg and the history of the city had decisively determined.

Since 1992, the lower road between Maximilian Moritz place and Perlachturm is closed to private vehicles.

Maximilian street from the south end, in the background the town hall and Perlachturm

Today's meaning

History of art, the Maximilian street is one of the most interesting streets in Europe and also a stone picture book of over 2000 years of history of the city of Augsburg. Harmoniously side by side they are here, the magnificent buildings of the Gothic, Renaissance, Rococo, Neoclassicism and the post-war period.

Between Town Hall Square and Ulrichsplatz - always in view of the Augsburg monumental fountains - numerous boutiques, restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs are located. And although the larger part is now just outside the bustling pedestrian zone, the " Maxstraße " but their specific role has received in the cultural life of Augsburg. Whether for Italian specialties in Damenhof the Fugger houses or on a balmy summer evening in one of the many sidewalk cafes: the Maximilian street as a paradise of gourmets, strollers, pleasure seekers and city lovers from near and far.

Project " Kaisermeile "

Although long been one of the most discussed topics of the city, can the transformation of the Maximilian street and their adaptation to the demands of modern urbanity still waiting. Necessary, this seems however: over the decades have conceptual and design defects or errors in transport planning appearance and character of the historic Boulevard heavily affected.

With the urban development project " Kaisermeile " now wants the upper Maximilian Strasse return its old value of the city. With limitations of individual and broadening of footpaths even more space for outdoor cafes shall be created and the nightlife be further promoted.

Also one of the new tram lines under the Transport Mobility Hub project Augsburg is to be performed on the Maximilian street.