Hochablass

Hochablass is a weir on the Lech in Augsburg, linking the river with the city’s historic canals. Steel-reinforced concrete gives the structure its solid form.

Since the late Middle Ages, this diversion has supported Augsburg’s water supply, mills, industry, and distinctive urban development. A bell tower marks the northern side.

The present structure followed the destruction of an earlier wooden weir by flooding in 1910. A pedestrian walkway crosses the western side.

At the western end, stone sculptures recall timber rafting and industrial power along the Lech. A stone turbine wheel represents industry beside the river.

Technical features include fixed weirs, counterweight flaps, a roller weir for gravel, fish passage, and sluices. The structure also contains a submerged hydropower plant with two turbines.

Nearby, the historic waterworks and Eiskanal extend the setting beyond the weir and its machinery. Kuhsee and the city forest add a recreational landscape around Hochablass.

The site connects water engineering with Augsburg’s public life. Hochablass remains a landmark of the city’s water history.