Laacher See
| Laacher See | |
|---|---|
Lake in summer; Maria Laach Abbey visible in the background
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| Location | Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Coordinates | 50°25′N 7°16′E / 50.417°N 7.267°ECoordinates: 50°25′N 7°16′E / 50.417°N 7.267°E |
| Type | crater lake, caldera lake |
| Primary outflows | Fulbert-Stollen (canal) |
| Basin countries | Germany |
| Surface area | 3.3 km2 (1.3 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 53 m (174 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 275 m (902 ft) |
Laacher See (German pronunciation: [ˈlaːxɐ ˈzeː]) or Laach Lake (in English) is a volcanic caldera lake with a diameter of 2 km (1.2 mi) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, about 24 km (15 mi) northwest of Koblenz and 37 km (23 mi) south of Bonn, and is closest to the town of Andernach situated 8 km (5.0 mi) to the east on the river Rhine. It is in the Eifel mountain range, and is part of the East Eifel volcanic field within the larger Vulkaneifel. The lake was formed by a Plinian eruption approximately 12,900 years ago with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, on the same scale as the Pinatubo eruption of 1991.
The lake is oval in shape, and surrounded by high banks. The lava was quarried for millstones from the Roman period until the introduction of iron rollers for grinding corn.
On the western side lies the Benedictine monastery of Maria Laach Abbey (Abbatia Lacensis), founded in 1093 by Henry II of Laach of the House of Luxembourg, first Count Palatine of the Rhine, who had his castle opposite to the monastery above the eastern lakeside.
The lake has no natural outlet, but is drained by a tunnel dug before 1170 and rebuilt several times since. It is named after Abbot Fulbert, abbot from 1152–1177, who is believed to have built it.
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