Nature and Culture – The Seefeld Lakes
The attractive countryside of the Seefeld high plateau has always been characterised by its lakes. To see them merely as areas of water storage or natural leisure areas would not do them justice. The Seefeld lakes are made particularly interesting by the historical elements which gave them their names, and as a mysterious natural phenomenon.
The importance of the Seefeld lakes in history to date:
The Wildsee – gives its name to the village
The source of the name for the settlement of ‘Sevelt’ (field on the lake), which was first documented in 1022, was probably the Wildsee, which already existed at that time.
In Emperor Maximilian’s days a type of fish was introduced to the lake, which gave it its ‘second’ name (‘Lamprey Lake’). The economic use of this lake was, however, limited to only a few decades. It contributed and continues to contribute to the beauty of the Seefeld high plateau and today its two bathing beaches make it a popular lake for swimming.
The southern banks of the lake (with the Reither Moor) have been a nature reserve since 1926 because of their special botanical features.
The Ablass-See – name-giver to the ‘Seekirchl’ (Little Church in the lake)
This lake, which unfortunately no longer exists, is the explanation of the name of the Heiligkreuzkirche, also called the ‘Little Church in the lake’. Built by Duke ‘Sigismund‘Rich in Coins’ (1427-1496) as a fish pond, it surrounded the church, which was built later on a rocky island with a bridge to connect it to dry land and was completed in 1666. The lake was approximately 30 hectars and was sold to the Seefeld Post Master, who had it drained (probably because of insignificant catches or lack of demand). The existence of this lake has inspired (landscape) architects to date, who are in favour of restoring the water at the ‘Little Church in the lake’.
Wildmoossee and Lottensee Lake: two natural phenomena
Close to the idyllic Möserer See , on the Wildmoos plateau (1320m), a very popular local attraction close to Seefeld, we can observe a very intereting natural phenomenon: as if coming from nowhere, two lakes appear amidst green meadows, larch and birch forests, the Wildmoossee and the Lottensee. This aperiodic (irregular) natural wonder is probably the result of a combination of water levels in the underground karst systems, the spring rains and the spring thaw.
The ground beneath these lakes is probably heavily karstified but the water system is sealed from below. Once the thaw begins in spring, the underground systems fill with water and the excess water floods the hollows in the meadows and forms lakes, which often disappear again after a few weeks.
Interestingly, the water level continues to rise after the thaw has ended, and the water bubbles out from underground springs. The lakes then stay at a constant level all summer and are also suitable for swimming – in the autumn the lakes then empty suddenly in the space of two or three weeks.
None of the many attempts to predict the appearance of the lakes in advance has been successful. The exact causes of their appearance or non-appearance cannot be defined exactly.
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