Landsberg am Lech

The Lech drops over a broad stepped weir in the middle of Landsberg, filling the town centre with the sound of water; the falls have been used for mills and power since the Middle Ages and the present structure dates from the twentieth century. The town grew on the salt road from Bavaria to Swabia, and the wealth shows in the main square with the town hall's facade of stucco by Dominikus Zimmermann, who was mayor here. The Bayertor of 1425 is one of the best-preserved town gates in southern Germany, and the Mother Tower is a modern brick tower built by the artist Hubert von Goisern's contemporary Mattias Kaeding.

What you actually see

• The Lechwehr - a stepped weir turning the river into falls in the centre.
• The Bayertor - a 1425 gate tower with its barbican intact.
• The Zimmermann town hall - a stuccoed facade by the rococo architect.
• The riverside walks - paths along both banks beside the falls.

When to go

April to October; the falls run all year and are loudest after rain or snowmelt. The Ruethenfest, a children's festival, is held every four years in July.

Honest expectations

The town is small and seen in a couple of hours. The museum keeps limited hours. The Romantic Road brings coach traffic in summer.

Nearby

Augsburg lies north; the Ammersee is east.