Lechfall

The Lechfall is a narrow gorge where the Lech river plunges over an 8-metre-high weir at the southern edge of Füssen. The short gorge cuts through a rocky barrier that separates the Falkensteinkamm from the Ammergauer Alps. It began to form about 12,000 years ago when meltwater from the Lech glacier carved a channel through the Wetterstein limestone.

The weir and a diversion tunnel were built between 1784 and 1787 to harness the water’s power. The project created a more dramatic waterfall than the original natural cascade. Modern rules now guarantee a minimum flow so the waterfall remains impressive even in dry seasons. The fall’s average discharge of 65.8 cubic metres per second exceeds that of Germany’s tallest natural waterfall, the Alzfall.

A footbridge named after King Maximilian II spans the gorge. Above the gorge a niche holds his bust, placed there in 1895. On the eastern side a rock bears a legend about Saint Magnus, who is said to have left a footprint there while fleeing pursuers. The gorge is protected as a geotope and a natural monument, and the footbridge and bust are listed as historic monuments.