With a population of 290,000, Augsburg is both Bavaria's third-largest city and the administrative capital of Swabia. Its origins go back a long way, to 15 B.C.: after crossing the Alps, Tiberius and Drusus, two sons of the Roman Emperor Augustus, set up the legionary camp of Augusta Vindelicum. This makes it, after Trier, one of the country's oldest cities. In the 1st century, it replaced Kempten (Cambodonum) as the seat of the province of Rhetia. In the Middle Ages, Augsburg was a regular venue for the Empire's Diet (a gathering of princes). In 1276, it was granted the status of a free city. By 1500, Augsburg had grown to become the second-largest city in the Holy Roman Empire, after Cologne. Augsburg was home to two of Germany's wealthiest families, the Welsers and the Fuggers. Other famous Augsburg-born personalities include Leopold Mozart, father of Wolfgang Amadeus, and the celebrated playwright Bertold Brecht. Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation, visited Augsburg twice to defend his theses before the city's assemblies. During the Industrial Revolution, Augsburg grew considerably richer, particularly in textiles (a tradition inherited from the Middle Ages). During the Second World War, Augsburg was the target of destructive bombing raids, but recovered to present a pleasant and prosperous face today.In 2019, UNESCO added the city's hydraulic system to its list of World Heritage Sites. Twenty-two sites (canals, fountains, water towers, etc.) bear witness to the city's ingenuity in managing drinking water since the 15th century.

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