Müggelsee
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Müggelsee | |
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| Location | Treptow-Köpenick, Berlin |
| Coordinates | |
| Primary sources | Spree |
| Primary outflows | Spree |
| Basin countries | Germany |
| Max length | 4.3 km |
| Max width | 2.6 km |
| Surface area | 7.4 km² |
| Max depth | 8 m |
The Müggelsee is the largest of the Berlin lakes (7.4 km²; 4.3 km long, 2.6 km broad). Some call it 'Großer Müggelsee' because there is the 'Kleiner Müggelsee', which is only 0.16 km². The Müggelsee is in the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick. The suburbs of Friedrichshagen, Rahnsdorf and Müggelheim border on the lake.
The lake itself is up to 8 meters deep. At its south end are hills called the 'Müggelberge', which are 115 m high; they were formed during the Pleistocene. On the so-called 'Kleiner Müggelberg', in 1889, the much-visited and popular 'Müggelturm' (a tower) was built; it offers a marvelous view over the lake and the forests against the silhouette of Berlin.
Through the Müggelsee flows the river Spree. The water company Friedrichshagen on the north bank of the Müggelsee gets most of its water from the lake. In addition numerous deep springs are near its banks, and filter groundwater into the lake.
The first use of the word component "Müggel" are, according to Gerhard Schlimpert in the "Codex diplomaticus Brandenburgensis", in 1394 as "den Tyns in der Miggel" and in 1487 as "von der Miggelseh". The etymology remains unclear. The traditional derivative from Common Slavonic mogyla = "grave, grave hill, earth hill" is rejected by Schlimpert as not durable. A pre-Slavonic, Germanic origin from a Proto-Indo-European root is more probable: migh-, mighla = "fog, cloud": compare Dutch miggelen = "drizzle" belongs. Analyses say that the word component "heim" in the name was brought around 1750 by settlers from the Palatinate from their homeland Odernheim, according to Schlimpert.
