Discover Urspring

Urspring brings together several distinct points of interest for your trip: St. Mary Magdalene Church, with its richly layered furnishings; the tradition of raising the maypole; and trails that lead to or pass through the village. Lake Lech and the Alps are also part of the surrounding landscape. When planning your visit, you can consider culture, hiking and cycling as separate themes.

St. Mary Magdalene Church: Building history and furnishings

St. Mary Magdalene Church brings together several different building phases. Romanesque elements can be found on the tower and portal, as well as in remnants of the walls; the church was later remodelled in the late Gothic style. Different periods also come together inside: the coffered wooden ceiling dates from the 16th century, and the gallery parapet from 1507 features eight painted Stations of the Cross. There is also a Rococo pulpit and an early Baroque Crucifixion group. Those interested in church architecture can look at both the building’s exterior and individual pieces of its furnishings.

In summer, the church is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; in winter, it is accessible on request. Services and concerts are occasionally held there. If you wish to plan your visit around a service or concert, check the dates in advance.

Local customs and the surrounding landscape

The “Lechtaler” Urspring traditional costume association maintains the custom of raising the maypole. Alongside the church’s art, this tradition adds its own cultural note to Urspring.

Pferdestall Urspring is on the edge of the village and offers views of the Urspring Lech reservoir and the Alps. There is also a fishing spot at Upper Lake Lech near Urspring; only hand-held fishing rods are permitted. As seasonal fishing rules may change, check the current regulations before fishing.

Distinguishing hiking and cycling routes

The routes differ in their mode of travel and in how they relate to Urspring. The King Ludwig Way leads downhill gently to Urspring. A hike along the Lech in Lechbruck follows the lakeshore in the direction of Urspring. The Cultural Tour to the Wieskirche is a cycling route: it passes through Urspring, follows Upper Lake Lech and continues to Lechbruck am See. You can then decide whether to include a route that ends in Urspring, a hike towards the village or a cycling tour through Urspring in your travel plans.

Culture in the wider destination of Steingaden

The wider destination of Steingaden also offers its own cultural highlights. The Welfenmünster, the former monastery church in Steingaden, brings together artistic and architectural styles from the Romanesque period to the modern era and features a Gothic cloister. The Wieskirche, in the village of Wies near Steingaden, is a Rococo church. Dominikus Zimmermann built it between 1745 and 1754; since 1983, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These two churches offer different points of focus: at the Welfenmünster, you can encounter a range of periods, while the Wieskirche is recognised as a Rococo building and World Heritage Site.

Recurring customs in Steingaden include the Gau pilgrimage on Whit Monday. Every year, members of the Oberer Lechgauverband traditional costume association make the pilgrimage to the miraculous image of the Scourged Saviour at the Wies; afterwards, the Wies traditional costume association and marksmen invite pilgrims and visitors to a garden festival. On Corpus Christi, a traditional procession takes place through the streets of the former monastery village of Steingaden after the festive service at the Welfenmünster.

Discover more destinations: Wildsteig, Steingädele, Prem

Return to the wider travel overview: Steingaden.