The Walchensee is one the deepest (maximum depth: 189.5 m) and at the same time at 16,40 km also one of the largest alpine lakes of Germany. It is appropriate for 75 km south of Munich in the midst of the Bavarian alps. The lake belongs with its entire surface including the island Sassau to the municipality Kochel at the lake. In the east and the south he borders with his bank on the municipality Jachenau.

Etymologie

The designation Walchen comes from the medium high German and originally means foreigner. Like that all Roman peoples (also the partially romanisierte population of the alps) were even south of Bavaria for native Wel or Walche. The same Etymologie applies also to Swiss whale lake.

Another interpretation proceeds from latin Lacus vallensis, which is called as many as a lake convenient in the valley. On maps 16. Century the lake was called also Italico dicto (to Italy leading), what therefore has its origin probably that by the Walchenseetal an itinerary led across center forest and Innsbruck to Italy.

Geography

Emergence

The Walchensee fills a tectonically caused lowers, the one part of the Bavarian Synkline represents and from the rocks of the upper, alpine Trias exists (main dolomite, disk limes, layers). To this tectonic emergence the lake owes its extreme depth of approx. 190 M. the rock bank of the northwest bank shows clearly the very steep storage of the rock formations to the lake. The emergence by mountain screen end of forces permits the conclusion that the Walchensee ranks among the oldest lakes of Germany. During the ice ages the morphology of the area and concomitantly the Walchensee were several times over-coined/shaped by glaciers of the Isar Loisach glacier.

Situation and adjacent localities

Approximately 27 km banks border the mountain lake, which has an average water volume of 1.300 millions cubic meters. The Jachen drains, as natural discharge of the lake, eastward by the valley of the Jachenau to the Isar. The largest natural supply forms upperoh, which flows in the southwest into the lake. Together with the artificial supply (see chapter characteristics) outer this way is opened a catchment area of approximately 780 km

The Walchensee is on a height of 802 m NN and is framed by wooded mountains. So in the northwest west of the group of duke condition home gardens (1,731 m and 1,790 m), following to it of the lake the valley of the Eschenlaine, on whose south side of the Simetsberg (1,836 m) as first of the ester mountains attaches. In the south of the lake the high head separates the Walchensee from the valley of the Isar. On the eastern bank begins the Jachenau, a long drawn high valley, direction the Lenggries leads. The northeast is dominated of the Benediktenwand, and, a little further west, the yoke mountain (1,565 m) closes the valley boiler. Between the duke conditions and the yoke mountain is still the small boiler mountain, which due to its relatively low height however as if lower between the mountains in the eye falls and in the long run the Walchensee from 200 m the Kochelsee lain below separates.

Directly on the west bank the small air health resort Walchensee with only approx. 600 inhabitants lies. Just as the other still smaller localities Urfeld (at the north point), Zwergern (west bank) and Einsiedl (in the extreme southwest) belong to Walchensee to the municipality Kochel at the lake. Oldlaugh at the south bank, thing brook on the east bank as well as Niedernach in the extreme southeast against it belong to the municipality Jachenau. Between the places Walchensee and Einsiedl 1.4 km large peninsula cat head with the place Zwergern of two kilometers rises up into the lake.

An old Pilgerweg, the Jakob way, pulls itself from the south coming over Einsiedl and Urfeld northward into the Alpine foreland and further to to Spain into the city Santiago de Compostela.

Climate

Due to its situation in the midst of a valley boiler the lake is to a large extent protected against northern and eastern wind currents. The relatively low mountain range, which begins directly on the south bank, permits an optimal sun exposure, so that the climate altogether moderate is, when in the mountains would be to be expected. During the summer months a pronounced thermionics develops in sunny weather over the heated south slopes of the duke conditions and the yoke mountain. The sturdy thermionics hoist usually blow toward southwest. Up in such a way transported if damp air masses of the Walchensees with those of the Kochelsees lain north unite by a light, prevailing main wind from northeast, particularly violent thunderstorms can develop.

With foehn against it a warm drop wind from south blows toward north; by dry air accompanying with it it comes to a very good remote view.

History

Already since before-historical time the native population felt probably closely with the lake connected, then it was for example in 18. Century usually, geweihte gold coins in the deepest place of the lake to sink. In Bavaria the fact is unique that still in 13. Century at the Walchensee was spoken ladinisch, a Roman language. The presence of Roman occupation troops before scarcely 2,000 years left clear traces obviously still up to the high Middle Ages. The fish wealth of the lake led to the fact that the monasteries Benediktbeuern and Schlehdorf already 740 n. Chr. first requirements for possession placed. Up to the secularization 1803 was these church institutions different in the possession. Today the owner of the Walchensees is the Free State of Bavaria.

In order to use 1900 were born in Munich the idea, the downward gradient between the Walchensee and that nearly 200 m Kochelsee lain below for generation of current in the power station Walchensee. In addition already 1903 diving tests were accomplished for the investigation of the sea-underground. Driving Kraft and was Oskar of Miller, who created also 1903 the German museum. The water-police licensing procedure dragged on until 1918. Immediately after the First World War the construction work was begun. At the 24.Januar 1924 for the first time Walchenseewasser propelled a turbine on the bank of the Kochelsees. In the course of the Second World War at least two airplanes on the lake tried to accomplish a forced landing and sank afterwards. On 24 April 1945 by the armed forces and the official of the realm bank at least a part of the last reserves of the German realm Reich was brought to a small settlement on the southwest bank after Einsiedl. Subsequently, the fortune at an unknown place on the stone latch plate (above the today's upper oh power station) was buried. Thereby 9 envelopes acted with the documents to the gold, 4 crates also gold, 2 bags with gold coins, 6 crates with Danish coins, as well as 94 bags with other foreign currencies around 365 bags with two each gold bar. With the foreign currency it acts above all over US Dollar and Swiss Franconia. On 6 June 1945 the fortune was handed over to the allied ones. However 100 gold bar as well as all dollar notes and Swiss Franconias was missing. Possibly it still more depots gave, at which objects of value, like for example further foreign exchange and/or jewels, were hidden. Until today upon their existence and exact situation one speculates.

The Walchensee became at the latest starting from the 50's-years 20. Century to a popular goal for from Munich and other Upper Bavarian cities as well as tourists. The native population lives today primarily on the tourism.

Articles in category "Walchensee"

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Related Websites

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