Latest news with #Fuggerei
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Europe's cheapest village where residents pay under £1 for a whole year's rent – but with a very strict rule
A VILLAGE in Europe is so cheap, locals only pay £1 rent for the entire year - but there is a strict curfew in place. Located in the city of Augsburg in Germany, the Fuggerei housing complex was created in 1521 by the Fugger family, to help residents in need. 3 3 The complex, which is the oldest of its kind in the world, has 142 residences across its 15,000-square-metre site. Today, there are 150 people living at the complex, and only Catholic Augsburgers who are in need of some help are allowed to live there. For anyone who lives there, they only have to pay 75p for their entire year's rent. In return, they must pray three times a day to the current owners of Fuggerei. They must also "perform small services for the common welfare," according to MailOnline. These jobs include acting as a night watchman or being a gardener, for example. However, there is one rule that could make the residents pay more - they must not be home after 10pm. If they do come home after this time, they must pay the watchman a 42p fee. It gets worse if they are home after midnight, with the fee rising to 85p - more than the annual rent. The homes in Fuggerei are around 60-square-metres with three rooms each and the ground floor flats tend to come with a small garden. Tourists can visit the complex too though. Each ticket costs £6.78 and includes entry into the Fuggerei's museum and a display residence. For visitors, there is the option to go on a tour of the complex including heading to St. Mark's Church, the Founder's Table, the Night Watchman's Gate, the bunker and the museums in the Fuggerei. If travelling with your furry friend, dogs are welcome too - as long as they are on a leash. But the complex is still home for a group of people - and therefore visitors are asked to respect the green spaces in Fuggerei, and keep it clean. A pretty German town also has the world's oldest brewery – and Brits can easily visit. Plus, the Eurostar has revealed future plans for trains from UK to Germany and Switzerland. 3
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The European village where rent hasn't been raised since 1520
Rents in the UK rose by nine per cent in 2024 with those living in London hardest hit by price rises. And the issue isn't unique to the UK. Rental prices hit a record high in Spain in May while rents in Ireland climbed by more than three per cent between January and March in 2025. So cash-strapped European renters might find it hard to believe that there's a housing complex on the continent where the rent hasn't gone up in 500 years. Located within the city of Augsburg, the Fuggerei housing complex was created in 1521 by a German merchant named Jakob Fugger. Fugger designed the unique housing complex to help Augsberg residents in need. Since its conception, residents have been asked to pay just 88 cents/75p a year in rent. Surrounded by a wall, the Fuggerei complex has 142 residences, across a 15,000 square meters site. There are currently 150 residents living there. On top of their 75p rental fee, residents are also required to say three daily prayers for the current owners of the Fuggerei. A typical flat in Fuggerei is around 60sqm with three rooms. Ground floor flats tend to come with a small garden. But potential Fuggerei residents will need to meet a few criteria before they're allowed to move in. The website clarifies that only needy Catholic Augsburgers will be accepted as residents. And residents also need to comply with the complex's nightly curfew. Fuggerei's gates are closed at 10pm and residents need to pay the watchman a 50 cent/42p fee if they arrive home after 10. The fee rises to one euro/85p, slightly more than their annual rent, if they arrive after midnight. If you don't meet the criteria to move in as a resident, you can still get a glimpse inside the unusual walled complex as a tourist. Adult tourist tickets cost 8 euros/£6.78 and include entry to Fuggerei's museum, and a display residence.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The European village where rent hasn't been raised since 1520 - and it costs just 80p a year to live there
Rents in the UK rose by nine per cent in 2024 with those living in London hardest hit by price rises. And the issue isn't unique to the UK. Rental prices hit a record high in Spain in May while rents in Ireland climbed by more than three per cent between January and March in 2025. So cash-strapped European renters might find it hard to believe that there's a housing complex on the continent where the rent hasn't gone up in 500 years. Located within the city of Augsburg, the Fuggerei housing complex was created in 1521 by a German merchant named Jakob Fugger. Fugger designed the unique housing complex to help Augsberg residents in need. Since its conception, residents have been asked to pay just 88 cents/75p a year in rent. Surrounded by a wall, the Fuggerei complex has 142 residences, across a 15,000 square metres site. There are currently 150 residents living there. On top of their 75p rental fee, residents are also required to say three daily prayers for the current owners of the Fuggerei. They must also 'perform small services for the common welfare'. Service jobs include acting as a night watchman or working as a gardener within the walled complex. Potential Fuggerei residents will need to meet a few criteria before they're allowed to move in A typical flat in Fuggerei is around 60sqm with three rooms. Ground floor flats tend to come with a small garden. But potential Fuggerei residents will need to meet a few criteria before they're allowed to move in. The website clarifies that only needy Catholic Augsburgers will be accepted as residents. And residents also need to comply with the complex's nightly curfew. Fuggerei's gates are closed at 10pm and residents need to pay the watchman a 50 cent/42p fee if they arrive home after 10. The fee rises to one euro/85p, slightly more than their annual rent, if they arrive after midnight. If you don't meet the criteria to move in as a resident, you can still get a glimpse inside the unusual walled complex as a tourist.
