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Lake of Lucerne

 
 

Lake, central Switzerland. It is 24 mi (39 km) long and 0.5 to 2 mi (0.8 to 3 km) wide, with an area of 44 sq mi (114 sq km). It has a maximum depth of 702 ft (214 m). The "Cross of Lucerne" is formed by its four main basins, which are joined by narrow channels. Named after the city of Lucerne at its western end, it is in a region of resorts and tourist attractions.

For more information on Lake Lucerne, visit Britannica.com.

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Columbia Encyclopedia: Lake of Lucerne
Lake of Lucerne, Ger. Vierwaldstätter See, irregular-shaped lake, 44 sq mi (114 sq km), central Switzerland. It has a maximum depth of c.700 ft (210 m). The lake is fed and drained by the Reuss River. Surrounded by mountains, the Lake of Lucerne is noted for its scenic beauty; many resort towns are along its shores. Lucerne (Ger. Luzern), the principal lakeside city, is located at its northern outlet. The three arms of the Lake of Lucerne are called the Lake of Küssnacht (northern arm), the Lake of Alpnacht (southwestern), and the Lake of Uri (southeastern).


 
Wikipedia: Lake Lucerne
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Lake Lucerne
Vierwaldstättersee
Lake Lucerne Vierwaldstättersee - View from Weggis
View from Weggis
Lake Lucerne Vierwaldstättersee - map
map
Location Central Switzerland
Coordinates 47°01′10″N 8°24′04″E / 47.01944°N 8.40111°E / 47.01944; 8.40111Coordinates: 47°01′10″N 8°24′04″E / 47.01944°N 8.40111°E / 47.01944; 8.40111
Primary inflows Reuss River
Sarner Aa
Engelberger Aa
Muota
Primary outflows Reuss River
Catchment area 2,124 km²
Basin countries Switzerland
Surface area 113.6 km²
Average depth 104 m
Max. depth 214 m
Water volume 11.8 km³
Residence time (of lake water) 3.4 years
Shore length1 143.7 km
Surface elevation 433 m
Frozen in the 17th and 19th century; Lucerne Bay and Lake Alpnach in 1929 and 1963
Islands Altstad-Insel (islet)
Sections/sub-basins Lake Uri (Urnersee), Treib basin, Gersau Basin, Weggis/Vitznau Basin, Lake Küssnacht, Kreuztrichter basin, Lake Alpnach (Alpnachersee), Lucerne Bay
Settlements Lucerne (see article)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Lucerne (German: Vierwaldstättersee, lit. "Lake of the Four Forest Cantons") is a lake in central Switzerland, the fourth largest in the country. It lies approximately at coordinates 47°01′10″N 8°24′04″E / 47.01944°N 8.40111°E / 47.01944; 8.40111.

Historical topographic map of the lake (1829)

The lake is a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² (44 sq mi), an elevation of 434 m (1,424 ft), and a maximum depth of 214 m (702 ft). Its volume is 11.8 km³. Much of the shoreline rises steeply into mountains up to 1,500 m above the lake, resulting in many picturesque views including those of Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus.

Lake Lucerne from Pilatus

It borders on the three original Swiss cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden (which today is divided into the Cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden), as well as the canton of Lucerne, thus the name. Many of the oldest communities of Switzerland are along the shore, including Küssnacht, Weggis, Vitznau, Gersau, Brunnen, Altdorf, Buochs, and Treib. In addition, the meadow of the Rütli, traditional site of the founding of the Swiss Confederation, is on the southeast shore of the lake.

The Reuss River enters the lake at Flüelen (in the canton of Uri, the part called Urnersee) and exits at Lucerne. The lake also receives the Muota (at Brunnen) Engelberger Aa (at Buochs), the Sarner Aa (at Stansstad).

Fog over the lake as seen from Rigi
Steamboat near Vitznau

It is possible to circumnavigate the lake by road, though the route is slow, twisted, and goes through tunnels part of the way. Dozens of steamers ply between the different towns on the lake. It is a popular tourist destination, both for native Swiss and foreigners, and there are many hotels and resorts along the shores.

A 35km commemorative walkway, the Swiss Path, was built around the lake to celebrate the country's 700th anniversary.

The level of the lake is maintained by a pioneering needle dam in the Reuss River in Lucerne, just upstream from the Spreuerbrücke.

The lake's surface is the lowest point of the cantons of Uri, Obwalden and Nidwalden.

Cities and places on Lake Lucerne

Left shore ¹ Right shore


¹ At the entry of the Reuss River: the western, later southern shore.

External links


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lake Lucerne" Read more

 

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