An impressive natural spectacle: the Lechfall in Füssen
The Lechfall in Füssen offers an impressive natural spectacle that can be admired up close from a footbridge. The roaring water masses of the Lech plunge over 12 meters into the depths and flow into the Lech Gorge, which was formed over 12000 years ago in the Würme Ice Age.
The approximately 264 kilometer long Lech is one of the last wild rivers in Europe and has fascinated people for centuries. The most impressive thing about the “last wild one”, as the Lech is also called, is its magical color, which ranges from turquoise to jade green and comes from its exceptionally low water temperature and high mineral content in the water. The Lech rises in Vorarlberg, Austria and flows through Tyrol and southern Bavaria before reaching the Lechfall in Füssen, where it demonstrates its wild character one last time. Finally it flows into the Danube near the town of Rain, north of Augsburg. In Füssen the river has always had a high priority; In the Middle Ages, local raftsmen used it to transport their goods and today it plays an important role in generating energy. Allgäu holidaymakers shouldn't miss a trip to the Füssener Lechfall, where they can experience the Lech in all its raw power and observe an impressive natural spectacle.
The Lechfall is an end to the 18. A weir built in the 19th century and approximately 12 meters high, over which the Lech flows in its entire width. The Lechfall was built primarily to use hydropower, although the tourist attraction may have played a role in the planning of the waterfall back then. The roaring waters of the Lech fall over five steps into a narrow gorge - the Lechschlucht. This was created about 12000 years ago in the Würme Ice Age by the meltwater of the Lech glacier. Today the gorge and the Lech Falls are officially designated as a geotope by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment, which is also one of the most beautiful geotopes in Bavaria. The King Max Steg leads directly over the Lech Falls and was named after the Bavarian King Maximilian II, who also had the romantic residential castle Hohenschwangau built nearby and made a significant contribution to the region's current tourist importance. From this bridge you can admire the impressive natural spectacle of the Lech Falls up close. In a niche above the Lech Gorge there is an artistically designed bust of Maximilian II along with a plaque that expresses the city's gratitude to him.
The so-called Magnustritt can also be discovered directly at the Lechfall. This individual monument is an iron shell that resembles two shoe-shaped depressions. According to legend, St. Magnus jumped over the river to escape from pursuers at the site of the Magnus Step. That's why pilgrims came to the Lech Falls until 1920 . Saint Magnus is the Füssener city patron and is considered the founder and first abbot of the St. Mang Monastery, which can be admired in the romantic Füssener old town.
What is interesting for all hiking enthusiasts is that the Lechfall is the official end point of the Lechweg, which has existed since 2012 - a varied long-distance hiking trail that was the first long-distance hiking trail in Europe to be awarded the “Leading Quality Trail - Best of Europe” seal of quality. After visiting the Lech Falls, hikers can set off directly on an introductory stage from here.
