Untersee (Lake Constance)
Encyclopedia
The Untersee is the smaller of the two lakes that together form Lake Constance
and forms part of the boundary between Switzerland
and Germany
.
. The Romans
called it Lacus Acronius. In the Middle Ages, the Upper Lake was called Bodamicus Lacus, or Bodensee in German. At some point in time, this term began to include the Lower Lake, and a new term "Upper Lake" (in German: Obersee
), was introduced for the larger lake.
The main tributaries are the Seerhein
and Radolfzeller Aach
. The landscape surrounding the Untersee is very diverse. The Untersee contains two islands: Reichenau
and Werd
(near the transition to the High Rhine
). In the north-east, we find the Bodanrück
peninsula; in the north-west, the Hegau
lowlands with the Mettnau
peninsula; in the west, the Höri peninsula, with mount Schiener Berg
and in the south, the Seerücken, which reaches more than 300 feet above the Untersee near Berlingen.
Bordering Lake Untersee are the Swiss
cantons of Thurgau
and Schaffhausen
and the German
state of Baden-Württemberg
. In contrast to the Obersee
, the border between Germany and Switzerland across Lake Untersee is well defined. Municipalities on the Swiss side are Gottlieben
, Ermatingen
, Salenstein
, Berlingen, Steckborn
, Mammern
, Eschenz
and Stein am Rhein
. Municipalties on the German side are Öhningen
, Gaienhofen
, Moos am Bodensee
, Radolfzell
, Reichenau
, Allensbach
and Constance
.
peninsula in the north, of the Höri peninsula in the south and Reichenau Island
in the east. To the west lies the estuary of the Radolfzeller Aach
. The Gnadensee (German for: "Lake Grace") extends Allensbach
in the north and the island of Reichenau in the south, from the tip of Mettnau in the west to the Reichenau causeway with its highly visible Poplar Avenue in the east.
According to legend, the name grace of the lake comes from the time when the court house was located on the island of Reichenau. If a defendant was sentenced to death, the execution of the sentence could not be carried out on the island, but only on the mainland because the island was "holy ground". Therefore, the condemned man was brought by boat to the mainland in the direction of Allensbach, where the sentence could be grace. Now, if the abbot wanted to pardon the condemned, he would ring a bell before the offender arrived on the other shore. This signaled to the executioner on the mainland, that prisoner had been pardoned.
The story above is unlikely to be true. A more probable theory is that the lake is named after Maria, "Our Lady of Grace", as the church of the abbey on the island was dedicated to St. Mary and St. Mark. The place name Frauenfeld
in neighbouring Thurgau
can be similarly explained.
The Markelfingen Corner is the western end of Lake Gnadensee, between Markelfingen in the north, Radolfzell in the west and Mettnau in the south. Its eastern boundary is at the level of Mount Mettnauspitze. With is maximum water depth of 16 m, the Markelfingen Corner is the shallowest part of the lake. It has a tributary: the Mühlbach, which drains the Mindelsee.
, which is a segment of the river Rhine). This section is bounded to the north by the island of Reichenau, to the west by the southern shore of the Höri peninsula and to south by the Swiss bank. This follows more or less the border between Germany and Switzerland. Some authors call this section the "Untersee in the strict sense".Seespiegel, Issue 20: The Bodensee: three parts, one lake
He succeeds about the Untersee force in the boundary between Germany and Switzerland. This section of the lake is also referred to when the Untersee in the strict sense of the question.lake levels, Issue 20 :found : three parts, a lake The term Rheinsee is hardly used in everyday language, and usually found only in professional publications.
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
and forms part of the boundary between Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Geography
Lake Untersee measures 63 km² and is situated about 30 cm lower than the OberseeObersee (Lake Constance)
The Obersee the larger of the two parts of Lake Constance.It has an area of 473 km² in size and extends over 63 km between Bregenz and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. Its maximum width is 14 km. The Romans called it Lacus Venetus, Lacus Brigantinus and Lacus Constantinus...
. The Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
called it Lacus Acronius. In the Middle Ages, the Upper Lake was called Bodamicus Lacus, or Bodensee in German. At some point in time, this term began to include the Lower Lake, and a new term "Upper Lake" (in German: Obersee
Obersee (Lake Constance)
The Obersee the larger of the two parts of Lake Constance.It has an area of 473 km² in size and extends over 63 km between Bregenz and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. Its maximum width is 14 km. The Romans called it Lacus Venetus, Lacus Brigantinus and Lacus Constantinus...
), was introduced for the larger lake.
The main tributaries are the Seerhein
Seerhein
The Seerhein is a river of about four kilometer long, in the basin of Lake Constance. It is the outflow of the Upper Lake Constance and the main tributary of the Lower Lake Constance. The water level of the lower lake is about 30 cm below the level of the Upper Lake...
and Radolfzeller Aach
Radolfzeller Aach
The Radolfzeller Aach is a right or north tributary of the Rhine in the south of Baden-Württemberg .It is approximately 32 km long.- Course :...
. The landscape surrounding the Untersee is very diverse. The Untersee contains two islands: Reichenau
Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island lies in Lake Constance in southern Germany, at approximately . It lies between Gnadensee and Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance, almost due west of the city of Konstanz. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway that was completed in 1838...
and Werd
Werd (Lake Constance)
Werd Island is the main island of the small island group Werd Islands in the westernmost part of the Lower Lake of Lake Constance just before the High Rhine leaves the part of the lake known as . It is located on Swiss territory between Stein am Rhein and Eschenz.- History :The Werd was already...
(near the transition to the High Rhine
High Rhine
The High Rhine is the name used in Germany for the part of the Rhine River that flows westbound from Lake Constance to Basel.The High Rhine begins at the outflow of the Rhine from the Untersee in Stein am Rhein and turns into the Upper Rhine in Basel...
). In the north-east, we find the Bodanrück
Bodanrück
The Bodanrück is the peninsula that divides Lake Constance into Überlinger See and Gnadensee, which is part of Untersee.The cities of Konstanz, Radolfzell and Allensbach are located there.- External links :*...
peninsula; in the north-west, the Hegau
Hegau
The Hegau is a formerly volcanic landscape in southern Germany extending around the industrial city of Singen , between Lake Constance in the east, the Rhine River in the south, the Danube River in the north and the Randen—as the southwestern mountains of the Swabian Alb are called—in the west.The...
lowlands with the Mettnau
Mettnau
Mettnau is a peninsula, located east of the town of Radolfzell in the western part of Lake Constance. It lies between the Markelfingen cornerin the north and the Zeller See in the south and has a length of 3.5 kilometers and a width of up to 800 meters, a size of 140 hectares.A large part of the...
peninsula; in the west, the Höri peninsula, with mount Schiener Berg
Schiener Berg
Schiener Berg is a mountain of Baden-Württemberg, Germany....
and in the south, the Seerücken, which reaches more than 300 feet above the Untersee near Berlingen.
Bordering Lake Untersee are the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
cantons of Thurgau
Thurgau
Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population, , is . In 2007, there were a total of 47,390 who were resident foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.-History:...
and Schaffhausen
Canton of Schaffhausen
The Canton of is a canton of Switzerland. The principal city and capital of the canton is Schaffhausen.- History:Schaffhausen was a city-state in the Middle Ages, documented to have struck its own coins starting in 1045. It was then known as Villa Scafhusun. Around 1049 Count Eberhard von...
and the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
state of Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
. In contrast to the Obersee
Obersee (Lake Constance)
The Obersee the larger of the two parts of Lake Constance.It has an area of 473 km² in size and extends over 63 km between Bregenz and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. Its maximum width is 14 km. The Romans called it Lacus Venetus, Lacus Brigantinus and Lacus Constantinus...
, the border between Germany and Switzerland across Lake Untersee is well defined. Municipalities on the Swiss side are Gottlieben
Gottlieben
Gottlieben is a municipality in the district of Kreuzlingen in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-History:Gottlieben is first mentioned around the end of the 10th Century as Gotiliubon. It was originally part of the land owned by the Bishop of Constance. In 1251, Eberhard von Waldburg built a...
, Ermatingen
Ermatingen
Ermatingen is a municipality in the district of Kreuzlingen in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-History:The Stone Age Westerfeld and Büge shoreline settlements were discovered in 1861 and studied extensively 1981-83, with finds from the Pfyn, Horgen and Corded Ware cultures An Alamanni...
, Salenstein
Salenstein
Salenstein is a municipality in Kreuzlingen District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.Salenstein was the home village of Napoleon III, who lived at Castle Arenenberg in his youth.-History:...
, Berlingen, Steckborn
Steckborn
Steckborn is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.It is located on the Untersee of Lake Constance.-History:...
, Mammern
Mammern
Mammern is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland, on Lake Constance.-History:Finds from the Neolithic Age, Bronze Age and the Early Middle Ages show that there was a continuous settlement in the area. The modern village of Mammern is first mentioned in 909 as...
, Eschenz
Eschenz
Eschenz is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-History:The prehistoric shore village on Werd Island and in the Seeäckern area are rich archeological sites that have contributed substantially to our understanding of the history of settlements in the...
and Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses...
. Municipalties on the German side are Öhningen
Öhningen
Öhningen is a town in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-World heritage site:It is home to one or more prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements that are part of the Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps UNESCO World Heritage Site....
, Gaienhofen
Gaienhofen
Gaienhofen is a town in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.Since 1974, Gaienhofen consists of four villages: Gaienhofen, Gundholzen, Hemmenhofen and Horn...
, Moos am Bodensee
Moos, Baden-Württemberg
Moos is a town in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, Radolfzell
Radolfzell
Radolfzell am Bodensee is a town in Germany at the western end of Lake Constance approximately 18 km northwest of Konstanz. It is the third largest town, after Constance and Singen, in the district of Konstanz, in Baden-Württemberg....
, Reichenau
Reichenau, Baden-Württemberg
Reichenau is a municipality in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is located partly on Reichenau Island with its famous abbey and on the northern shore of the Untersee section of Lake Constance. The island has historically been the center of the community. The...
, Allensbach
Allensbach
Allensbach is a municipality in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, which is known for being the home of the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, one of the best known polling organizations in Germany....
and Constance
Constance
Constance is a female given name that derives from Latin and means "constant." Variations of the name include Connie, Constancia, Constanze, Constanza, Stanzy, and Konstanze.Constance may refer to:-People:*Constance Bennett , American actress...
.
Lake Zeller, Lake Gnadensee and Markelfingen Corner
Three parts in the north of Lake Untersee have names of their own: Lake Zell, Lake Gnadensee and Markelfingen Corner. Lake Zell is the part between the MettnauMettnau
Mettnau is a peninsula, located east of the town of Radolfzell in the western part of Lake Constance. It lies between the Markelfingen cornerin the north and the Zeller See in the south and has a length of 3.5 kilometers and a width of up to 800 meters, a size of 140 hectares.A large part of the...
peninsula in the north, of the Höri peninsula in the south and Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island lies in Lake Constance in southern Germany, at approximately . It lies between Gnadensee and Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance, almost due west of the city of Konstanz. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway that was completed in 1838...
in the east. To the west lies the estuary of the Radolfzeller Aach
Radolfzeller Aach
The Radolfzeller Aach is a right or north tributary of the Rhine in the south of Baden-Württemberg .It is approximately 32 km long.- Course :...
. The Gnadensee (German for: "Lake Grace") extends Allensbach
Allensbach
Allensbach is a municipality in the district of Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, which is known for being the home of the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, one of the best known polling organizations in Germany....
in the north and the island of Reichenau in the south, from the tip of Mettnau in the west to the Reichenau causeway with its highly visible Poplar Avenue in the east.
According to legend, the name grace of the lake comes from the time when the court house was located on the island of Reichenau. If a defendant was sentenced to death, the execution of the sentence could not be carried out on the island, but only on the mainland because the island was "holy ground". Therefore, the condemned man was brought by boat to the mainland in the direction of Allensbach, where the sentence could be grace. Now, if the abbot wanted to pardon the condemned, he would ring a bell before the offender arrived on the other shore. This signaled to the executioner on the mainland, that prisoner had been pardoned.
The story above is unlikely to be true. A more probable theory is that the lake is named after Maria, "Our Lady of Grace", as the church of the abbey on the island was dedicated to St. Mary and St. Mark. The place name Frauenfeld
Frauenfeld
Frauenfeld is the capital of the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-Early history:The earliest trace of human settlement are several La Tène era graves to the east of Langdorf. The Roman road from Oberwinterthur to Pfyn ran through what is now the Allmend in Frauenfeld. Two Roman villas were...
in neighbouring Thurgau
Thurgau
Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population, , is . In 2007, there were a total of 47,390 who were resident foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.-History:...
can be similarly explained.
The Markelfingen Corner is the western end of Lake Gnadensee, between Markelfingen in the north, Radolfzell in the west and Mettnau in the south. Its eastern boundary is at the level of Mount Mettnauspitze. With is maximum water depth of 16 m, the Markelfingen Corner is the shallowest part of the lake. It has a tributary: the Mühlbach, which drains the Mindelsee.
Rheinsee
A section of the lake is known as Rheinsee ("Lake Rhine", not to be confused with SeerheinSeerhein
The Seerhein is a river of about four kilometer long, in the basin of Lake Constance. It is the outflow of the Upper Lake Constance and the main tributary of the Lower Lake Constance. The water level of the lower lake is about 30 cm below the level of the Upper Lake...
, which is a segment of the river Rhine). This section is bounded to the north by the island of Reichenau, to the west by the southern shore of the Höri peninsula and to south by the Swiss bank. This follows more or less the border between Germany and Switzerland. Some authors call this section the "Untersee in the strict sense".Seespiegel, Issue 20: The Bodensee: three parts, one lake
He succeeds about the Untersee force in the boundary between Germany and Switzerland. This section of the lake is also referred to when the Untersee in the strict sense of the question.lake levels, Issue 20 :found : three parts, a lake The term Rheinsee is hardly used in everyday language, and usually found only in professional publications.
See also
- Lake ConstanceLake ConstanceLake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
- OberseeObersee (Lake Constance)The Obersee the larger of the two parts of Lake Constance.It has an area of 473 km² in size and extends over 63 km between Bregenz and Bodman-Ludwigshafen. Its maximum width is 14 km. The Romans called it Lacus Venetus, Lacus Brigantinus and Lacus Constantinus...
- SeerheinSeerheinThe Seerhein is a river of about four kilometer long, in the basin of Lake Constance. It is the outflow of the Upper Lake Constance and the main tributary of the Lower Lake Constance. The water level of the lower lake is about 30 cm below the level of the Upper Lake...