Fussen, Germany: attractions, how to get

Füssen, Germany is a small ancient city located in the Allgäu Alps at an altitude of 800 m above sea level. Elegant painted houses, medieval churches and ancient castles made it one of the most beautiful cities in Bavaria, and the picturesque mountain landscape, pristine lakes and natural springs made it a popular climatic resort.

General information

Füssen, which lies on the banks of the Leh River in the government district of Swabia, is a cozy town, on the territory of which a little more than 15 thousand inhabitants live. Being in close proximity to the Austrian border, it allows easy access to neighboring Tyrol and is a popular tourist destination in the Alps.

However, Füssen himself also has something to be proud of. Mineral water sources, healing mud and well-developed sanatorium and wellness infrastructure have turned it into one of the best European resorts, which are visited by about 100 thousand people every year.

Interestingly, the rest here is good at any time of the year, because the calm and calm weather in Füssen rarely presents unpleasant surprises. In summer, the air temperature is kept at + 26 ° C, and in winter, the thermometer rarely drops below -5 ° C. At the same time, July is considered the hottest month, and January is the coolest. It rains very often, but they are not lingering.

A mild climate, pleasant atmosphere and a leisurely daily routine of local residents make this place a good resort for both older people and those who are tired of the bustle of the city and want to enjoy measured walks and a peaceful contemplation of city attractions. But this does not mean that only misanthropes and pensioners come here. Young and active tourists will also find something to do. There are good conditions for ecotourism, as well as cycling and sailing. In addition, with the advent of winter, the city turns into a ski center, where steep professional slopes are adjacent to gentle slopes for beginners.

However, beautiful nature and wide opportunities for outdoor activities are far from the only pride of this ancient settlement. The city of Füssen in Germany is famous for its unusual architecture and many historical attractions that cause constant tourist interest. At the entrance to it you will be met by an unusual fountain, which is a huge stone pillar, spraying water directly along the pavement. In extreme heat, everyone can refresh themselves under them. Most residential buildings and public buildings in the city have unique window frames and bright triangular roofs. In addition, they are all decorated using the Lüftlmalerei technique, a traditional Bavarian painting involving the application of a baroque image directly on wet plaster. In this way monograms, balconies, mirrors, galleries, watches and even whole pictures appear on perfectly smooth walls of the facades. Thanks to this, the buildings look festive and elegant.

Sights

The Bavarians are very sensitive to their natural and historical heritage, so all the sights of Füssen in Germany are in a truly perfect condition. Let's get acquainted with the most popular objects.

Altstadt von Fuessen is the historical part of Füssen, founded back in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. Here you can see everything that a classical German settlement should have - the remains of the fortress walls, the Town Hall with an old clock, the city gate and many beautiful buildings of the Middle Ages. The Old Town has its own market square, which the locals called the Bread Market, and a magnificent palace, which today houses the Museum der Stadt Fussen, and the Franciscan monastery, and the ruins of a Roman villa.

The center of Altstadt von Fuessen is represented by the pedestrian street Reichenstrasse, which used to go along the great Roman road. Today it is the richest street in the city, replete with ancient painted houses, brand shops, souvenir shops and cozy restaurants offering the best culinary masterpieces of Bavarian and European cuisine. True, traditional German sausages with pretzels and sweet mustard, apple strudel with vanilla cream and meatloaf Fleischkäse are in greatest demand.

Other buildings located in the Old Town include the one-nave church of St. Nicholas, whose interior is represented by ancient frescoes, stucco molding, angel figures, a beautiful marble altar and a sculpture of Nicholas of Myra, who is the main patron of this church.

The old city pharmacy, which is rightly called the most beautiful building Altstadt von Fuessen, deserves no less attention. Its main feature is the ancient painting, creating the effect of the full presence of Baroque decorations.

The Old Town ends with the fountain of St. Magnus, a five-meter-high structure made in the shape of a stone bowl. In the center of this pedestal there is a pillar, the top of which is crowned by the figure of a priest fighting a terrible dragon.

Looking at the photos of Füssen in the tourist avenues, you will probably notice the monastery of St. Magnus, laid in the middle of the 12th century. and named after the famous Bavarian missionary. Over the long years of its existence, the monastery building has undergone several architectural changes. So, after a couple of centuries, a small basilica appeared here, decorated in the style of Italian Baroque and considered one of the most beautiful city attractions.

The walls of this magnificent building are decorated with art painting, which tells about the life and deeds of the great preacher, the lower tier - with marble medallions, and the arches - with magnificent medieval stucco molding. But, perhaps, the church crypt located under the main altar has the greatest historical value. It has been there for many centuries in a row that the main monastery relics have been stored - the incorrupt relics of St. Magnus, as well as his cross, staff and chalice.

No less interesting are other monastic premises - the Knights' Hall with columns, an oval library and a city museum, the exposition of which has hundreds of unique exhibits. Among them, the series of paintings "Dance of Death", an exhibition of ancient coffins, and a collection of various musical instruments (violins, lute, etc.) are most popular. By the way, one more surprise awaits music lovers - not only chamber, but also jazz concerts are regularly held in the Princely Hall of the monastery.

And in the building of the city museum there is a small library, the ceilings and walls of which are painted manually. Its walls contain many manuscript books, interesting medieval publications and ancient tomes.

Location: Lechhalde 3, 87629 Fussen.

It is no exaggeration to call Neuschwanstein the most famous castle of Füssen - annually it is visited by about 1.5 million tourists from all over the world. Situated at the very foot of the Alps, it seemed to have descended from the pages of children's books. Snow-white walls, sharply contrasting with the red entrance gate, gabled towers, many carved balconies, semicircular windows - it was Neuschwanstein that became the prototype of the fabulous palace from Walt Disney's “Sleeping Beauty”.
Opening hours:

• April 01 - October 15: from 09:00 to 18:00;
• 16.10 - 31.03: from 10:00 to 16:00.

The castle is open every day except 12/24, 12/25, 12/31 and 01/01.

You can get into it only with a guided tour, the cost of which is from 12 to 26 €, depending on the type of ticket.

Location: Neuschwansteinstrasse 20, 87645 Hohenschwangau.

More information about the castle is presented in this article.

Alat Lake, lurking in the middle of the Bavarian Alps, is 4.5 km from the city and is included in the list of beautiful natural attractions of Füssen in Germany. With a very modest size (490/290 m), Lake Alat has a huge depth - more than 30 m. But its main characteristic difference is the 15-meter layer, populated by various representatives of flora and fauna. Among them, photosynthetic purple bacteria deserve special attention, which not only saturate the water with oxygen, but also color it with a beautiful purple hue. But everything that goes below is a dead zone - due to a lack of oxygen there are practically no living creatures.

Location: 87629, Fussen.

Hohenschwangau Castle, whose name translates as a high swan land, is located near the village of Schwangau. Hidden in the middle of a dense coniferous forest, it is one of the most interesting sights not only of Füssen, but of the whole of Bavaria. Tourists do not get tired of admiring both the main facade, decorated with elaborate bas-reliefs, and the rich interior decoration, complemented by medieval frescoes and original furniture, made in the middle of the 19th century. You can get to Hohenschwangau Castle only as part of a group - the tour lasts 30 minutes and is conducted in English and German.

Location: Alpseestrabe 30, Hohenschwangau.

For a detailed description of the castle with photos, see this page.

Description of Füssen sights with a photo completes Lechfall, an artificial waterfall that arose on this site during the construction of the dam. Passing all 5 feet, the stormy waters of Lechfall fall directly into the gorge, which, unlike the dam itself, has a completely natural origin.

You can come to the waterfall on foot or drive by car. Nearby there is a fenced observation deck and a small kiosk that sells tea, coffee and other drinks. Over the river at the waterfall, the Marienbrücke bridge is laid, which offers a beautiful view of Neuschwanstein Castle.

Location: Fussen Outskirts.

Advice! Free maps and brochures describing tourist routes are available at the Information Center, located right in the city center.

Where to stay?

The city has enough hotels, hostels, campsites, guest houses and just apartments that can be rented for a day. Most of them are located in the city center or within walking distance from the main city attractions. The cost of a 2-bed room in a 3 * hotel starts from 60 € per day. But renting an apartment for the same period will cost about 150 €.Find out RATES or book any accommodation using this form

How to get from Munich?

If you know how to get from Munich to Füssen, use one of these methods.

It should also be noted that you can get here on your own or rented vehicles. In this case, it is worth using the A7 autobahn and the federal roads B310, B17, B16, and B179 (the latter comes from Austria).

Advice! Having decided to come here on a Bavarian ticket, do not forget to specify the Munich-Füssen train schedule in advance. Due to the limited validity of this pass, you can leave Munich no earlier than 9 am, and return no later than midnight.

All prices on the page are for August 2019.
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Interesting Facts

Talking about the city of Füssen, Germany, one can not help but recall a few interesting facts related to its history:

1. Füssen is the endpoint of the famous "Romantic Road", which runs through Bavaria.
2. On the river bank Lech starred in an advertisement for Milka chocolates.
3. By the way, it is the cow that is the main symbol of the city. Postcards with the image of joyful cows, as well as cow bells, are sold in every souvenir shop. Moreover, the bas-relief of this animal can be seen even in the central city square.
4. The most unusual theater of Fussen stands on the shore of about. Forggensee. Instead of the traditional backstage, it has a glass backdrop that goes directly to the lake, which, with the onset of darkness, is illuminated by powerful spotlights.

5. The coat of arms of Füssen is a golden shield against which 3 running legs are painted. The exact origin of this symbol remains unknown, but most historians connect it with the ancient Roman road, which passed through the Alps and played the role of a large trade route. True, opponents of this version argue that the legs on the coat of arms symbolize either the course of history, or the rotation of the Sun.
6. There are many pubs, cafes and eateries in the city, but most tourists deliberately look for the Gasthof "KRONE", a theme restaurant decorated in the style of medieval chivalry. It is customary to eat with hands, wiping dirty fingers on huge paper bibs.
7. Füssen's first name is Foetibus (from the word “leg”, warped in German manner). Over the 400-year history of the city, it has changed 5 more times. First it was Fozen, then Fozin, then Fuozzen, then Füzzen and finally Füssen.

Visiting souvenir shops in Füssen, helpful tips and filming aerial view of Bavaria: