Attersee (lake)

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Attersee (also known as the Kammersee) is the largest lake of the Salzkammergut area of Austria. It extends for about 20 km from north to south and 4 km from east to west. Its water comes from the Seeache, which flows out of another lake, the Mondsee. The Höllengebirge (literally meaning mountains of hell), with a height of up to 1,800 m, are located southeast of the lake. Situated to the southwest of the lake is the Schafberg (the "Sheep Mountain", 1,782 m).

At Litzlberg, there is a small island château, which Gustav Klimt frequently visited during the summer.

Schloss Kammer am Attersee. Gustav Klimt, 1910.

Due to its steady winds and clean water quality, Attersee is famous for attracting sailors and swimmers alike. During the season numerous sailing competitions are held.

One of the most cherished winds on Attersee is the so-called "Rosenwind" meaning "breeze of roses". It is an easterly wind that crosses a castle's rose garden and fills the air across the lake with the smell of roses.

The best time to visit Attersee is during spring, summer and autumn.

Because of the lake's size and despite the cold temperatures during winter the lake rarely freezes. The last time the lake was entirely covered with ice was in the late 1940s, when people were seen skating and riding motorcycles across the thickly frozen surface of the lake.

The following types of fish live in the lake:

[edit] History

In August 1870, remains of prehistoric pile dwellings were found at Seewalchen near the northern end of the lake. In the middle of the 19th Century paddlesteamers were introduced on the lake to ferry mail and goods between the villages located around the Attersee. Today it is an important recreation site for people from the urban areas of Vienna and Linz.