Forggensee is a man-made lake which is located towards the north of Füssen in the northern district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria, Germany. It is the fifth largest lake of the Bavarian region which was created in the year 1954. It spans a total area of 15.2 kilometres squared and most of it lies in the municipality of Schwangau. A total of two ships navigate through two different routes. In addition to being a tourist attraction, the lake and the dam prevent the area from flooding due to melting of snow during spring time and also help in electricity generation. The communities that reside in the region are: Fussen , Halblech , Rieden am Forggensee and Roßhaupten. All of them in-fact derive their names out of the Forggen hamlets that would get flooded.
The historical geography
Researchers have claimed that by the end of the last ice age the region of Ostallgäu which was initially covered with thick layers of ice, witnessed massive amounts of glacier melting. The ice covering was known to have had reached the maximum heights of Kaufbeuren, that is of the entire Alpine region. This phenomenon had a dramatic effect on the landscape of the region and the features of which are quite distinctly visible today.
There are many lakes that congregate in and around the Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein castles and Forggensee is one of the many. River Lech which was dammed in 1954, today flows through Forggensee creating an interesting confluence. This is probably among the many reasons that the region has become a massive tourist attraction over the years.
The region has also developed into a major tourist destination because of the aquatic sports and recreational facilities that are offered here. Here you can indulge yourselves in surfing, sailing, fishing, and boating. Moreover, the lake is an interesting spot because of the marine life that it supports. It is well stocked with pike, trout and eel.
Towards the northern side of the lake is located the Lech Falls which was formed due to the tectonically established sediments of molasses. You can spot many boats here during the peak of summer months. It is among the more famous picnic spots of the region.
The water of forggensee has very high calcium content and belongs to mesotrophic and slightly eutrophic classifications. Depth visibility is only about 0.8 meters generally and it increases up to 6 meters in the months of summer and autumn. This is due to the damming of the river because of which the lake experienced high deposition of sediments. Furthermore, it was also due to the last ice age due to which most of the lakes in Füssener experience high rates of sedimentation.
The endless scope for adventure
Forggensee has often been regarded as the most beautiful lakes in the Bavarian alpine foothills. The lake, in terms of its length measures at 12 kilometres or 7.5 miles and has a width of 3 kilometres or 1.9 miles. Sports enthusiasts flock here throughout the year in search for hard-core aquatic adventures. The region is in-fact blessed with ideal conditions that permit boating, sailing, fishing, and surfing. You can also canoe down the lake and witness sunsets like never before. The awe-inspiring imageries are phenomenally stupendous. Simply floating on water can definitely arouse some emotional feelings almost instantaneously. Also, hikers and cyclists are known to manoeuvre in the surrounding region all through the year sometimes competing in international competitions and other times just enjoying the long Romantic Road. The Forggensee loop provides bikers and hikers with a 32 kilometres or 20 mile long terrain to enjoy.
Tourists have often pointed out that the view of the Ammergauer, Lechtaler and Tannheimer alpine ranges looks even more appealing if you witness them from further down south in the lake. Moreover, the major attractions are also the historic castles that surround the lake. Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are the two castles which are closest to the lake and provide the viewer with other-worldly feelings altogether.
During winter the lake becomes dry and therefore walkable. Due to this reason the old floorplans of many buildings become visible which were demolished to facilitate the construction of Forggensees. You will also be able to see certain traces of old road networks such as the Roman road Via Claudia Augusta at around this time.
On the other hand summer times at Forggensees, especially from the 1st of June to the 15th of October remain busy and congested. Travellers come over from all over the world for relaxation and try their hands at water sports.
The southern side of the lake has a 45,000 meter squared plot upon which a musical Theatre Neuschwanstein is built. Its construction was completed on the 153rd birth anniversary of King Ludwig, on the 25th of August, 1998. Its modelling is as a matter of fact based on the Richard-Wagner’s Festspielhaus in Bayreuth. April 7th, 2000 was when the first musical show was premiered here which was titled as: Ludwig II – Longing for Paradise.
Why visit Lake Forggensee?
The lake is located in Fussen which has often been described as the romantic soul of Bavaria. Moreover, it is within this region that the lake, almost as if acts as a reflector of the spirit of love and grandiose. It nearly engulfs the reflected images of the Bavarian Alps in their entirety and presents an excruciatingly emotive imagery of the sunset. All of these feelings just act upon your nervous system instantly, enrapturing and overwhelming at the same time.
The sporting activities are just an additive feature of the journey which is surrounded by lush green meadows, the highest of peaks, and the seamless country wind.
Another major attraction which mostly brings people from closer regions on a regular basis to forggensee is the fishes. The lake is well stocked with pike, carp, perch, rainbow and trout. During winters the lake shrinks considerably and hence fishing becomes much easier here. You can also indulge in bird watching in and around the region. The lake functions as a breeding ground for many migratory birds. Moreover, the lake experiences large amounts of fluctuations in terms of its water levels therefore large water plants find it difficult to survive in it. You can find algae deposits on the shores along with small plants in formations.
What else is around?
- Mount Tegelberg
- Tegelbergbahn
- Konigliche Kristall-Therme
- Koloman
- Museum Der Bayerischen Konige
- Poellatschlucht
- Sommerrodelbahn
- Nomad Paragliding
- Antike Romervilla
- Bannwaldsee
- Flugschule Aktiv, et cetera.