Lech

Lech is a river that rises in the Austrian Alps at lake Formarinsee, 1,870 metres above sea level. It flows north-east for 255 kilometres before joining the Danube. Near Füssen it drops 12 metres at Lechfall and carves a narrow gorge called Lechschlucht. The river then passes through the Forggensee, a man-made lake drained each winter. From there it winds through the Lechrain region, passing cities such as Schongau, Landsberg and Augsburg. The Lech has shaped history on its banks. In 278 the Roman emperor Probus defeated Burgundians and Vandals near the river. In 955 Otto I won the Lechfeld battle against the Magyars. In 1632 Gustavus Adolphus defeated Johan Tzerclaes, Count of Tilly, at the Battle of Rain. Thirty-three hydroelectric plants now harness the river’s power along its course. Visitors can follow the river’s changing scenery. In the Alps the Lech begins at a glacial lake surrounded by high peaks. After the gorge it widens into the Forggensee, where winter draws expose gravel banks and rapids. Views of the valley open from Neuschwanstein Castle above Füssen. The Lech’s stony character, reflected in its Celtic name meaning ‘stone slab’, remains visible in its bed and cascades.