Burgstall Schneckenbichl

The Burgstall Schneckenbichl stands on a hilltop 733 metres above sea level, just south of the Lech river and north-west of Peiting market. It is the remains of a high-medieval summit castle built by Duke Welf I around 1055. The site overlooks the Lech valley and the surrounding countryside from its prominent position. Archaeologists recognise it as the true location of the Welfenburg, once the main stronghold of the Lechrain Welfs. The castle was mentioned in 1101 as ‘nova arx Bitengoe’ and played a key role in the history of the Welf dynasty. After the Welf line died out in 1191, the castle passed through several noble families including the Staufers, Wittelsbachers and Bertold von Seefeld. The castle suffered damage in 1348, probably from an earthquake, and was finally destroyed in 1632 during the Thirty Years’ War by Swedish troops. The last visible stones, made of tuff, were removed in 1806. Today the site is protected as a monument under the Bavarian heritage register. It is listed as a medieval castle site and also shows traces of a Bronze Age settlement. The area is marked on the Bayernatlas with the reference D-1-8131-0065. Historians and archaeologists continue to study the site to understand its full history. Visitors reach the hilltop by following a marked path from Peiting. At the top they find low earthworks and scattered stone foundations that outline the former castle walls. The view stretches across the Lech valley and towards the Alps on clear days. Information boards explain the site’s history and the lives of the Welfs who once ruled from here. The quiet surroundings make it easy to imagine the castle in its medieval setting. The combination of history and landscape offers a peaceful place to walk and reflect.