Wikipedia
The Allgäu is a region in Swabia in southern Germany. It covers the south of Bavarian Swabia, southeastern Baden-Württemberg and parts of Austria. The region stretches from the prealpine lands up to the Alps. The main rivers flowing through the Allgäu are the Lech and Iller. Allgäu is not an administrative unit.
It is sub-divided into the following regions:
- Oberallgäu (in Bavarian Swabia, in the state of Bavaria)
- Unterallgäu (in Bavarian Swabia, in the state of Bavaria)
- Ostallgäu (in Bavarian Swabia, in the state of Bavaria)
- Westallgäu (mainly in Upper Swabia in the state of Baden-Württemberg, but also a very small part in Bavaria)
- The western Austrian part is the Kleinwalsertal in Vorarlberg, accessible from Germany only ("practical exclave").
- The eastern Austrian part belongs to the Reutte district ( Tyrol).
The Allgovian area is notable for its beautiful landscapes and is popular for vacations and therapeutic stays. It is well known in Germany for its farm produce, especially dairy products including Hirtenkäse (" herdsman's cheese") and Bergkäse ("hill cheese"), a generic alpine product also from Austria and Switzerland. Besides tourism and dairy products, another important economic sector is the building of industrial equipment and machines. Fendt tractors, developed and produced in Marktoberdorf are one of the most famous products of the region.
"Allgovia" is occasionally used as a synonym for the region. The alpine regions of the Allgäu rise over 2,000 metres in altitude and are popular for winter skiing. The world-renowned castle of Neuschwanstein is in the eastern part of the Allgäu.
- redirect Allgäu