Neusiedler See
Encyclopedia
Lake Neusiedl is the second largest steppe lake in Central Europe
, straddling the Austria
n–Hungarian
border. The lake covers 315 km²
, of which 240 km² is on the Austrian side and 75 km² on the Hungarian side. The lake's drainage basin
has an area of about 1,120 km². From north to south, the lake is about 36 km long, and it is between 6 km and 12 km wide from east to west. On average, the lake's surface is 115.45 m above the Adriatic Sea
and the lake is no more than 1.8 m deep.
Stratigraphy shows that the lake bed has totally dried up at least 100 times since its formation (18,000 - 14,000 years B.C.). During recent history the lake's complete disappearance has been documented in considerable detail on several occasions, e.g. in 1740–1742, 1811–1813, and most recently in 1866, when the private diary of a local, Gottlieb Wenzel, noted that he crossed the bed of the lake on June 4 without soiling his boots. Parts of the lake bed were claimed for agriculture; wheat and turnips were being planted. However, in 1871 the lake began to return and by the spring of 1876 it had already reassumed its usual size. The last (brief and partial) vanishing took place during the summer of 1949 when the northern part of the lake bed (to the approximate latitude of Podersdorf
) fell dry for a few weeks. Each time the drying-up of the lake bed caused major environmental disruptions because the humidifying and temperature buffering effect of the large water body was absent, and because the winds blew large amounts of salty dust into the surrounding villages. On earlier occasions the lake was sometimes referred to as a "swamp", suggesting a very low water level with an expansion of reeds throughout the lake bed. Two records dated to 1318 and 1324, respectively mention a "river", implying that at this time the lake might have been reduced to a central body of water running from north to south.
Today the water level is controlled by a sluice
on Hungarian territory near Fertőújlak, and bilateral issues are dealt with by the Austro-Hungarian water commission which was established in 1956. However, comparatively minor fluctuations of the lake's level continue to occur. In 1965 the lake gained 100 million cubic meters of water within a single month, raising its level by 35 cm. The water level decreased to a similar extent (by 30 cm) within one year as a result of the drought of 2003. Both types of events are perfectly within the normal range, and because of the shallowness of the water can be either exacerbated or compensated by the effects of wind pressure, which can temporarily raise or reduce the local water level by as much as 75 cm. However, the lake remains sensitive to changes in its equilibrium, as recent climate change scenario simulations have shown http://balwois.mpl.ird.fr/balwois/administration/full_paper/ffp-840.pdf.
Before the regulation works of the 19th century, the lake extended in the south-east to the marshlands of the Hanság which have been increasingly drained and claimed for agriculture from the 16th century onward. Originally, the lake was thus closely connected to the Danube
and the Rába
river systems.
which serve as a habitat for wildlife (making the lake an important resting place for migratory birds
) and are harvested in winter as soon as the ice is solid enough. This serves a double purpose, one ecological (removal of the bulk of organic matter that would otherwise decay in the lake) and one economic (the reed is sold for various purposes, mostly related to construction and housing). During the summer months, there are occasional reed fires, as dry reed is easily flammable, and fires spread quickly because of the almost constant wind. Water quality is determined by temperature, wind, and by the amount of salt
and mud
emanating with the ground water from the sediments.
Several plans for dams and other intrusive construction works which would have destroyed the lake and its biotopes were discussed during the first half of the 20th century but came to nothing. Detailed plans to divide the lake bed with earthworks so that certain parts with reasonably fertile soil could be permanently drained and claimed for agriculture while the remaining parts would be used for intense aquaculture had been finalized and approved in 1918 but were abandoned when most of the lake became Austrian territory after World War I. In 1971 plans for a bridge across the Austrian part of the lake were thwarted by environmentalists.
In 1993 the National Park Neusiedler See-Seewinkel gained international acceptance as an IUCN Category II preserve. In 2001 the national park
s in Austria and Fertő-Hanság
in Hungary were together accepted as a World Heritage Site
. The Neusiedler See and its surrounding areas in Austria also enjoy protection through the Ramsar Convention
on Wetlands http://www.bmlfuw.gv.at/filemanager/download/8148/.
period. The area became densely populated from the 7th century BC onward, initially by people of the Hallstatt culture
and remained so throughout Roman times. In 454 Theodoric the Great
, the preeminent king of the Ostrogoths, was born here. Near Fertőrákos
there are two Roman villas and a 3rd century AD Mithras temple open to visitors.
The more important extant towns lying on the lake's shore are Illmitz
(Illmic), Podersdorf am See
(Pátfalu), Weiden
(Védeny), Neusiedl am See
(Nezsider), Jois
(Nyulas), Winden (Sásony), Breitenbrunn
(Fertőszéleskút) , Purbach am Neusiedlersee
(Feketeváros), Donnerskirchen
(Fertőfehéregyháza), Oggau
(Oka), Rust
(Ruszt) and Mörbisch
(Fertőmeggyes) in Austria, and Fertőrákos
, Fertőboz
, Fertőd
, Balf
and Fertőújlak in Hungary, with the communities of Illmitz
, Apetlon
(Mosonbánfalva) and Podersdorf am See
forming the so-called Seewinkel (lake corner), which is located between the lake and the Hungarian border. Hungarian names of Austrian towns lying on the lake's shore are given in parenthesis.
", as it offers ample opportunities for sailing
and windsurfing
. There is also some commercial
fishing
.
Low water levels pose a problem for sailing and commercial shipping, as boats hit the ground more frequently and mooring sites can become temporarily unusable. However, it somewhat facilitates the annual freestyle mass crossing of the lake from Mörbisch to Illmitz
. Everybody who can swim and is more than 160 cm in height can participate in this sportive event, which was revived in 2004.
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
, straddling the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n–Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
border. The lake covers 315 km²
1 E8 m²
To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, listed below are areas between 100 km2 and 1000 km2. See also areas of other orders of magnitude.* Areas less than 100 km2* 100 km2 is equal to:** 1 E+8 m²...
, of which 240 km² is on the Austrian side and 75 km² on the Hungarian side. The lake's drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
has an area of about 1,120 km². From north to south, the lake is about 36 km long, and it is between 6 km and 12 km wide from east to west. On average, the lake's surface is 115.45 m above the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
and the lake is no more than 1.8 m deep.
Water level fluctuations
In the past, rainfall and aridity caused significant floods (which in 1768 enlarged the lake to its maximum documented size of 515 km²) and significant decreases in the lake's level, although frequently there seemed to be no apparent connection with the weather situation.Stratigraphy shows that the lake bed has totally dried up at least 100 times since its formation (18,000 - 14,000 years B.C.). During recent history the lake's complete disappearance has been documented in considerable detail on several occasions, e.g. in 1740–1742, 1811–1813, and most recently in 1866, when the private diary of a local, Gottlieb Wenzel, noted that he crossed the bed of the lake on June 4 without soiling his boots. Parts of the lake bed were claimed for agriculture; wheat and turnips were being planted. However, in 1871 the lake began to return and by the spring of 1876 it had already reassumed its usual size. The last (brief and partial) vanishing took place during the summer of 1949 when the northern part of the lake bed (to the approximate latitude of Podersdorf
Podersdorf am See
Podersdorf am See is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in the east of Austria on the shore of the Neusiedler See. It is home to a windmill and lake ....
) fell dry for a few weeks. Each time the drying-up of the lake bed caused major environmental disruptions because the humidifying and temperature buffering effect of the large water body was absent, and because the winds blew large amounts of salty dust into the surrounding villages. On earlier occasions the lake was sometimes referred to as a "swamp", suggesting a very low water level with an expansion of reeds throughout the lake bed. Two records dated to 1318 and 1324, respectively mention a "river", implying that at this time the lake might have been reduced to a central body of water running from north to south.
Today the water level is controlled by a sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
on Hungarian territory near Fertőújlak, and bilateral issues are dealt with by the Austro-Hungarian water commission which was established in 1956. However, comparatively minor fluctuations of the lake's level continue to occur. In 1965 the lake gained 100 million cubic meters of water within a single month, raising its level by 35 cm. The water level decreased to a similar extent (by 30 cm) within one year as a result of the drought of 2003. Both types of events are perfectly within the normal range, and because of the shallowness of the water can be either exacerbated or compensated by the effects of wind pressure, which can temporarily raise or reduce the local water level by as much as 75 cm. However, the lake remains sensitive to changes in its equilibrium, as recent climate change scenario simulations have shown http://balwois.mpl.ird.fr/balwois/administration/full_paper/ffp-840.pdf.
Before the regulation works of the 19th century, the lake extended in the south-east to the marshlands of the Hanság which have been increasingly drained and claimed for agriculture from the 16th century onward. Originally, the lake was thus closely connected to the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and the Rába
Rába
The Rába is a river in southeastern Austria and western Hungary and a right tributary of the Danube. Its source is in Austria, some kilometres east of Bruck an der Mur below Heubodenhöhe Hill. It flows through the Austrian states of Styria and Burgenland, and the Hungarian counties of Vas and...
river systems.
Nature and wildlife
Most of the lake is surrounded by reedsPhragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
which serve as a habitat for wildlife (making the lake an important resting place for migratory birds
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
) and are harvested in winter as soon as the ice is solid enough. This serves a double purpose, one ecological (removal of the bulk of organic matter that would otherwise decay in the lake) and one economic (the reed is sold for various purposes, mostly related to construction and housing). During the summer months, there are occasional reed fires, as dry reed is easily flammable, and fires spread quickly because of the almost constant wind. Water quality is determined by temperature, wind, and by the amount of salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
and mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
emanating with the ground water from the sediments.
Several plans for dams and other intrusive construction works which would have destroyed the lake and its biotopes were discussed during the first half of the 20th century but came to nothing. Detailed plans to divide the lake bed with earthworks so that certain parts with reasonably fertile soil could be permanently drained and claimed for agriculture while the remaining parts would be used for intense aquaculture had been finalized and approved in 1918 but were abandoned when most of the lake became Austrian territory after World War I. In 1971 plans for a bridge across the Austrian part of the lake were thwarted by environmentalists.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s in Austria and Fertő-Hanság
Ferto-Hanság National Park
The Fertő-Hanság National Park is a national Park in North-West Hungary in Győr-Moson-Sopron county. It was created in 1991, and officially opened together with the connecting Austrian Neusiedler See National Park the same year...
in Hungary were together accepted as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. The Neusiedler See and its surrounding areas in Austria also enjoy protection through the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
on Wetlands http://www.bmlfuw.gv.at/filemanager/download/8148/.
Towns and villages around the lake
Traces of human settlement around Lake Neusiedl go back to the neolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period. The area became densely populated from the 7th century BC onward, initially by people of the Hallstatt culture
Hallstatt culture
The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Central European culture from the 8th to 6th centuries BC , developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC and followed in much of Central Europe by the La Tène culture.By the 6th century BC, the Hallstatt culture extended for some...
and remained so throughout Roman times. In 454 Theodoric the Great
Theodoric the Great
Theodoric the Great was king of the Ostrogoths , ruler of Italy , regent of the Visigoths , and a viceroy of the Eastern Roman Empire...
, the preeminent king of the Ostrogoths, was born here. Near Fertőrákos
Fertorákos
Fertőrákos is a village in the county of Győr-Moson-Sopron in Hungary. In 2001 it had a population of 2,182.It is located at , about from Sopron, near Lake Fertő and the Austrian border. In summer, a border checkpoint for pedestrians and cyclists connects it to the Austrian municipality of...
there are two Roman villas and a 3rd century AD Mithras temple open to visitors.
Illmitz
Illmitz is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in Austria. It is located in a region to the east of the Lake Neusiedl which is named the Seewinkel .-Geography:...
(Illmic), Podersdorf am See
Podersdorf am See
Podersdorf am See is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in the east of Austria on the shore of the Neusiedler See. It is home to a windmill and lake ....
(Pátfalu), Weiden
Weiden am See
Weiden am See is a town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in Austria....
(Védeny), Neusiedl am See
Neusiedl am See
Neusiedl am See is a town in Burgenland, Austria, and administrative center of the district of Neusiedl am See.Neusiedl am See is located on the northern shore of the Neusiedler See.- History :...
(Nezsider), Jois
Jois
Jois is a small town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in Eastern Austria. It is on the northern shore of Lake Neusiedl, which straddles the border with Hungary....
(Nyulas), Winden (Sásony), Breitenbrunn
Breitenbrunn, Austria
Breitenbrunn am Neusiedler See is a small wine village in the district of Eisenstadt-Umgebung in Burgenland in Austria....
(Fertőszéleskút) , Purbach am Neusiedlersee
Purbach am Neusiedlersee
Purbach am Neusiedlersee which is sometimes written as Purbach am Neusiedler See or Purbach am See, is a town in Burgenland, Austria, known for its viticulture...
(Feketeváros), Donnerskirchen
Donnerskirchen
Donnerskirchen is a market town in Burgenland in the district Eisenstadt-Umgebung in Österreich with 1.649 inhabitants.-External links:* — region maps of Donnerskirchen* — Wineries in Donnerskirchen* — Tourism information...
(Fertőfehéregyháza), Oggau
Oggau am Neusiedler See
Oggau am Neusiedler See is a town in the district of Eisenstadt-Umgebung in Burgenland in Austria....
(Oka), Rust
Rust, Austria
----Rust is a city in Burgenland, Austria located at the shore of the Neusiedler See. Although it has only about 1,700 inhabitants, it is a Statutarstadt, as it was endowed with the rights of a free city by the Hungarian crown in 1681. As a Statutarstadt, it also forms its own administrative...
(Ruszt) and Mörbisch
Mörbisch am See
Mörbisch am See is a town in the district of Eisenstadt-Umgebung in Burgenland in Austria.-References:...
(Fertőmeggyes) in Austria, and Fertőrákos
Fertorákos
Fertőrákos is a village in the county of Győr-Moson-Sopron in Hungary. In 2001 it had a population of 2,182.It is located at , about from Sopron, near Lake Fertő and the Austrian border. In summer, a border checkpoint for pedestrians and cyclists connects it to the Austrian municipality of...
, Fertőboz
Fertoboz
- External links :*...
, Fertőd
Fertod
Fertőd is a town located in the Győr-Moson-Sopron county of Hungary, not far from Austria. Fertőd was formed when the towns of Eszterháza and Süttör were unified, in 1950....
, Balf
Balf
Balf is the main tribe of the region Babol, and originate from the House of Suren.Balf is a town in Hungary, a district of Sopron.The well-known Jewish scholar and writer Antal Szerb was deported to a concentration camp near Balf and there beaten to death there in January 1945....
and Fertőújlak in Hungary, with the communities of Illmitz
Illmitz
Illmitz is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in Austria. It is located in a region to the east of the Lake Neusiedl which is named the Seewinkel .-Geography:...
, Apetlon
Apetlon
Apetlon is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in Austria. It is located in a region to the east of the Lake Neusiedl which is named the Seewinkel .-Geography:...
(Mosonbánfalva) and Podersdorf am See
Podersdorf am See
Podersdorf am See is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in the east of Austria on the shore of the Neusiedler See. It is home to a windmill and lake ....
forming the so-called Seewinkel (lake corner), which is located between the lake and the Hungarian border. Hungarian names of Austrian towns lying on the lake's shore are given in parenthesis.
Tourism
The region of Lake Neusiedl draws significant numbers of tourists. The lake is known as the "Sea of the VienneseVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
", as it offers ample opportunities for sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
. There is also some commercial
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.
Low water levels pose a problem for sailing and commercial shipping, as boats hit the ground more frequently and mooring sites can become temporarily unusable. However, it somewhat facilitates the annual freestyle mass crossing of the lake from Mörbisch to Illmitz
Illmitz
Illmitz is a market town in the district of Neusiedl am See in Burgenland in Austria. It is located in a region to the east of the Lake Neusiedl which is named the Seewinkel .-Geography:...
. Everybody who can swim and is more than 160 cm in height can participate in this sportive event, which was revived in 2004.