Discover Urspring: Church art and trails along Lake Lech

Urspring brings together a church with a complex building history, a cherished local tradition and various trails along Lake Lech. This lets you tailor your stay to a range of interests: sometimes art and history take centre stage; at other times, a walk through the landscape or views of the water and Alps.

St. Mary Magdalene: Building history and interior

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene combines Romanesque features in its tower, portal and remains of the walls with a later late-Gothic reconstruction. Inside, you can also see elements from several periods: the coffered wooden ceiling dates from the 16th century, and the gallery balustrade from 1507 features eight painted Stations of the Cross. Other features include a Rococo pulpit and an early Baroque Crucifixion group. The interior invites you to notice the different forms and details during your visit, rather than viewing the building as belonging to just one historical style.

In summer, the church is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; in winter, it can be visited by arrangement. Services and concerts are held occasionally. If you are planning to attend a service or concert, check the relevant date in advance.

Lake Lech, the landscape and fishing opportunities

The Urspring horse stable is on the edge of the village and offers views of the Urspring Lech reservoir and the Alps. This vista adds a distinct landscape accent to the church’s historical and cultural impressions. Fishing is also possible at the Upper Lake Lech near Urspring; handline fishing is permitted. As seasonal fishing regulations may change, check the current rules before heading out to fish.

Trails with different points of interest

The King Ludwig Way leads gently downhill to Urspring. Along the section leading to Urspring, information boards explain how the moor formed and provide information about protected plant species. The Lech walk in Lechbruck follows Lake Lech towards Urspring. For a different perspective, the cultural cycling tour to Wies Church runs via Urspring along the Upper Lake Lech to Lechbruck am See.

The routes therefore differ in their focus: the King Ludwig Way leads downhill to Urspring and offers information about the moor and its plants; the walk follows Lake Lech towards Urspring, while the cycling tour connects Urspring with a cultural destination. When planning your day, you can choose based on whether you would rather walk, cycle or learn more about the landscape along the way.

A local tradition

Local traditions are also part of life in Urspring. The “Lechtaler” Urspring traditional costume association keeps the maypole-raising tradition alive. Together with the church’s richly layered interior, this shows two different sides of cultural life: historical art in the church and a tradition maintained by a local association.

Cultural attractions in the wider Steingaden destination

In the wider Steingaden destination, the Welfenmünster makes a distinctive architectural impression. The former monastery church brings together artistic and architectural periods from the Romanesque era to the modern age and has a Gothic cloister. Wies Church in the hamlet of Wies near Steingaden is a Rococo church built between 1745 and 1754; it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. These buildings are cultural attractions in their own right within the wider Steingaden destination.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel interests

Next, consider which location best suits your plans. Choosing accommodation starts with deciding what you would like to experience in the region.

Discover more destinations: Wildsteig, Prem, Steingädele.

Return to the wider travel overview: Steingaden.