Lake Constance

The lake from space

Lake Constace or Lake of Constance (German: Bodensee) is a large lake on the river Rhine. It is on the border between Germany and Switzerland and Austria. It is the third largest lake in Central Europe after Lake Balaton and Lake Geneva. It is made of two smaller lakes (called Obersee and Untersee (Upper and lower lake) respectively). These are joined by a small part of river in Constance. The lake covers about 564 km2 (218 sq mi) of total area.

There are three big islands in the lake. The islands Lindau and Mainau are in the Obersee. Reichenau is in the Untersee. The Obersee is about 63 km (39 mi) long, from Bregenz to Bodman-Ludwigshafen. It is about 14 km (9 mi) wide at its widest point between Romanshorn and Friedrichshafen. The deepest point is 254 m (833 ft) deep, between Fischbach and Uttwil (just off Constance).

The lake forms the border between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. On much of its length, this border has not been defined. Switzerland thinks the border runs through the middle of the lake. Austria thinks the lake is a condominium of all the countries. A condominium is a space that is governed by all countries taking part in it. Germany has no clear view.

Other legal issues, like navigation and fishing are governed by separate treaties. About 62% of the lake's shoreline belongs to Germany, about 33% to Switzerland, and the remaining 11% to Austria.

Lake freezing over

The harbour at Lindau, with a plane, and a car at the entrance of the harbor, in 1963
A pillar in Lochau-Hörbranz shows some of the years where the lake froze over

Due to climate, the lake froze in 1963. At that time, the ice was strong enough so that people were able to walk across the lake. This has not happened since then. Historical records show that for the last few hundred years, this happened about once or twice per century. The first documented case of the lake freezing was for the year 875. There is documentation for the lake freezing in the following years:

The literature provided gives the years from 875 to 1830, but it does not give conclusive evidence.

Towns at the lake shore

The towns are given by county, generally west to east, and north to south

References

  1. ↑ "Seedaten". igkb.org. Internationale Gewässerschutzkommission für den Bodensee. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
  2. ↑ Friedrich Meichle (1963), Seegfrörne und Eisprozession in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart (in German), pp. 145–170
  3. ↑ Albert Steudel: Der gefrorene Bodensee des Jahres 1880. In: Deutscher Eissport. Fachzeitschrift für die Interessen des Eissports, VIII. Jahrgang, Nr. 3 vom 10. November 1898, S. 21–23, Nr. 5 vom 24. November 1898, S. 36–39, hier S. 38–39. Verwendet, geändert und ergänzt, aber nicht alle belegt bei Friedrich Meichle (1963), Seegfrörne und Eisprozession in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart (in German), pp. 145–170 Verwendet bei Friedrich Kiefer (1972), "Seegfrörne", Naturkunde des Bodensees (in German) (2. ed.), Sigmaringen: Thorbecke, pp. 68–69 Zur Tabelle umgewandelt bei: {{cite journal}}: Empty citation (help)