Leopoldstein Lake

Leopoldsteinersee
Looking down from Pfaffenstein towards Leopoldsteiner Lake
Coordinates	47°34′19″N 14°51′41″E / 47.572038°N 14.861473°E / 47.572038; 14.861473Coordinates: 47°34′19″N 14°51′41″E / 47.572038°N 14.861473°E / 47.572038; 14.861473
Type	Mountain lake
Basin countries	Austria
Max. length	1,400 metres (4,600 ft)
Max. width	370 metres (1,210 ft)
Max. depth	31 metres (102 ft)
Surface elevation	628 metres (2,060 ft)

The Leopoldsteinersee is a mountain lake in Styria, in the east of Austria, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northwest of the city of Eisenerz. The lake is named after the nearby Leopoldstein Castle.

The Leopoldsteinersee is situated at 628 metres (2,060 ft) above sea level at the foot of the Seemauer in the western Hochschwab range. The lake is 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) long and 370 metres (1,210 ft) wide. The maximum depth is 31 metres (102 ft). The river Seebach feeds the lake, but it is mainly fed by underground springs. The lake is surrounded by rugged mountains with mixed or coniferous forests. A 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) hiking trail circles the lake. There is a local outfit that rents electric or rowing boats.

The people near the lake have a legend that a merman was caught in the lake. To buy his freedom he showed his captors the iron deposits at Erzberg. Then he disappeared into the Wassermannsloch ().

View of Leopoldsteiner See

Fishermen on the lake in 1822. Watercolor by Matthäus Loder ()

Looking towards the northwest

Polyommatus coridon photographed near the lake

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