Achensee
Encyclopedia
The Achensee is a lake
north of Jenbach
in Tyrol, Austria. It is the largest lake within the federal state, and has a maximal depth of 133 metres. Together with the Achental valley it parts the Karwendel
mountain range in the west from the Brandenberg Alps
in the east.
Water quality is near drinking water, with sight up to 10 m below the surface. An alpine lake, water temperature is accordingly low, rarely above 20 °C. Its size and wind conditions make it suitable for surfing
.
Eben am Achensee
, Achenkirch
, and Pertisau
are municipalities on the lake.
bought the lake in 1919 from the St. Georgenberg-Fiecht Abbey
, who had received it from the rulers of Schlitters
around 1120.
Originally, its only outflow was the Achen Bach feeding the Isar
. Since 1927, when a powerplant in Jenbach
was finished, it primarily feeds the Inn, at a level difference of 380 m below. Eight pelton wheel
s at 500 rpm produce a total of 96 MW.
In winter the level of the lake is lowered by up to 6 metres, accordingly the size of the lake keeps changing. At maximum level the reservoir can store 66 million m³ of water.
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When the Unterinntalbahn railway was finished in 1859, tourism started to flourish. In order to make the abbey profit, the first steamboat
St. Josef was acquired in 1887.
Furthermore the construction of the 7 km long Achenseebahn
narrow gauge rack railway
was initiated, which went into service in 1889 between Jenbach
and Seespitz. The same year, on July 21 a second steamboat, the St. Benedikt went into service. In 1890 the two boats with a capacity of 320 seats transported about 30,000 persons.
In 1911 a third scheduled boat, the Stella Maris went into service. It was the first passenger boat on a lake in the Danubian monarchy
originally equipped with a diesel engine
. The boat was designed for 400 passengers, and featured a particularly silent engine at low rpm, similar to those that later were used in the submarines of World War I.
However, the Stella Maris was difficult to manoeuvre. When the lake was bought by the city of Innsbruck in 1919, the boat was renamed into Stadt Innsbruck. In 1925 a motorboat named Tirol was acquired, and in 1927 for the first time more than 100,000 persons were transported.
In 1959 the St. Benedikt was replaced with a modern ship of the same name with a diesel engine. In 1971 the Tirol was replaced with a larger Tirol II for 40 passengers. In 1994 the MS Tirol went into service, replacing the Stadt Innsbruck, and in August 2007 the MS Stadt Innsbruck replaced the St. Benedikt.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
north of Jenbach
Jenbach
Jenbach is a municipality with 6897 inhabitants in the district of Schwaz in Tyrol, Austria. Many inhabitants of Jenbach believe that the name "Jenbach" is derived from "Jenseits des Baches", which means "Beyond the brook", however earlier versions of the name, for instance "Umbach" give hint that...
in Tyrol, Austria. It is the largest lake within the federal state, and has a maximal depth of 133 metres. Together with the Achental valley it parts the Karwendel
Karwendel
The Karwendel is the largest range of the Northern Limestone Alps. Four chains stretch from west to east; in addition, there are a number of fringe ranges and an extensive promontory in the north....
mountain range in the west from the Brandenberg Alps
Brandenberg Alps
The Brandenberg Alps are a sub-group of the Northern Limestone Alps, that run in front of the Eastern Alps for their whole length. They lie entirely in Austria between Achensee in Tyrol, the Inn Valley and the Bavarian Prealps....
in the east.
Water quality is near drinking water, with sight up to 10 m below the surface. An alpine lake, water temperature is accordingly low, rarely above 20 °C. Its size and wind conditions make it suitable for surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
.
Eben am Achensee
Eben am Achensee
Eben am Achensee is a municipality in the Schwaz district of Tyrol, Austria....
, Achenkirch
Achenkirch
Achenkirch is a municipality in the Schwaz district of Tyrol, Austria. It is located at the northern end of Lake Achensee....
, and Pertisau
Pertisau
Pertisau is a small village on the Achensee Lake in the Tyrol region of Austria.Pertisau is in the Schwaz . It is located in the Karwendel Alpine Park, one of the oldest, cross-border, protected areas of the Eastern Alps. The picturesque town was used by English school story writer Elinor M...
are municipalities on the lake.
History
The city of InnsbruckInnsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
bought the lake in 1919 from the St. Georgenberg-Fiecht Abbey
St. Georgenberg-Fiecht Abbey
St. Georgenberg-Fiecht Abbey, the successor of St. Georgenberg Abbey, is a Benedictine monastery situated since 1708 in Fiecht in the community of Vomp in Tyrol, Austria; a pilgrimage church still stands on the original site on the Georgenberg...
, who had received it from the rulers of Schlitters
Schlitters
Schlitters is a municipality in the Schwaz district of Tyrol, Austria....
around 1120.
Powerplant
Since 1924 the Achensee is managed by the Tiroler Wasserkraft AG (TIWAG), which was founded for this purpose.Originally, its only outflow was the Achen Bach feeding the Isar
Isar
The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald, and flows through Bad Tölz, Munich, and Landshut before reaching the Danube near Deggendorf. At 295 km in length, it is the fourth largest river...
. Since 1927, when a powerplant in Jenbach
Jenbach
Jenbach is a municipality with 6897 inhabitants in the district of Schwaz in Tyrol, Austria. Many inhabitants of Jenbach believe that the name "Jenbach" is derived from "Jenseits des Baches", which means "Beyond the brook", however earlier versions of the name, for instance "Umbach" give hint that...
was finished, it primarily feeds the Inn, at a level difference of 380 m below. Eight pelton wheel
Pelton wheel
The Pelton wheel is an impulse turbine which is among the most efficient types of water turbines. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to its weight like traditional overshot water wheel...
s at 500 rpm produce a total of 96 MW.
In winter the level of the lake is lowered by up to 6 metres, accordingly the size of the lake keeps changing. At maximum level the reservoir can store 66 million m³ of water.
Tourism
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
St. Josef was acquired in 1887.
Furthermore the construction of the 7 km long Achenseebahn
Achenseebahn
The Achensee Railway is a long metre gauge railway running between Jenbach and Seespitz on Lake Achensee in Tyrol . Within its length it rises some in height, with the steeper sections using the Riggenbach rack system...
narrow gauge rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
was initiated, which went into service in 1889 between Jenbach
Jenbach
Jenbach is a municipality with 6897 inhabitants in the district of Schwaz in Tyrol, Austria. Many inhabitants of Jenbach believe that the name "Jenbach" is derived from "Jenseits des Baches", which means "Beyond the brook", however earlier versions of the name, for instance "Umbach" give hint that...
and Seespitz. The same year, on July 21 a second steamboat, the St. Benedikt went into service. In 1890 the two boats with a capacity of 320 seats transported about 30,000 persons.
In 1911 a third scheduled boat, the Stella Maris went into service. It was the first passenger boat on a lake in the Danubian monarchy
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
originally equipped with a diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
. The boat was designed for 400 passengers, and featured a particularly silent engine at low rpm, similar to those that later were used in the submarines of World War I.
However, the Stella Maris was difficult to manoeuvre. When the lake was bought by the city of Innsbruck in 1919, the boat was renamed into Stadt Innsbruck. In 1925 a motorboat named Tirol was acquired, and in 1927 for the first time more than 100,000 persons were transported.
In 1959 the St. Benedikt was replaced with a modern ship of the same name with a diesel engine. In 1971 the Tirol was replaced with a larger Tirol II for 40 passengers. In 1994 the MS Tirol went into service, replacing the Stadt Innsbruck, and in August 2007 the MS Stadt Innsbruck replaced the St. Benedikt.
Literature
- Naupp, Thomas OSB und Pinggera, Dr. Gert-Klaus: Stiftsmuseum Fiecht, Dokumente zur Geschichte von St. Georgenberg-Fiecht (Katalog)
- Armbruster, Karl; Pawlik, Hans Peter: Jenbach – Achensee. Die Tiroler Zahnradbahn. Slezak Verlag, Wien 1993; 96 S. ISBN 3-85416-149-2
External links
- Achensee - travel information at WikivoyageWikivoyageWikivoyage is a free web-based travel guide for both travel destinations and travel topics written by volunteer authors. The name is a blend of the words “Wiki” and “Voyage”, the French word for travel, journey, voyage, or trip.The project has been founded in September 2006 by a German...
- Achensee powerplant, architecture archive