!!!Neusiedler See
Lake Neusiedl, Burgenland, alt. 115 m, length 33.5 km, width
12 km and depth 1.8 m; area around 285 km%%sup 2/%
(including reed belt), of which 220 km%%sup 2/% is on Austrian
territory; strong evaporation causes a high level of salinity and has
noticeable influence on the climate. Lake Neusiedl is the westernmost
European steppe lake and the largest lake in Austria; situated between
the small Hungarian plain, the Leithagebirge mountains (to the
northwest), the Parndorfer Platte tableland (to the Northeast), the
Rust range of hills (to the west) and the Seewinkel area (to the
south) ( Lacken). A smaller swamp area is situated in the south, in
the southeast the former Hanság swampland ( Waasen), which was
largely drained by the Einser-Kanal. Most important lines of
occupation are wine cultivation, tourism, reed processing and fishing.
The water level of Lake Neusiedl is mainly determined by the amount of
precipitation; small streams such as the Wulka, Wolfsbrunn and
Angerbach and subterranean inlets (especially from the eastern
Seewinkel area) also flow into the lake. Canals lead to the lake from
the villages of Weiden and Gols; the Einser-Kanal canal (Hungary)
makes it possible to regulate and maintain the water level of the
lake, which does not have any other outlet. The water level of Lake
Neusiedl was subject to strong fluctuations in the past: in 1740,
1773, 1811-1813 and 1864-1870 the lake almost dried out completely, on
the other hand it swelled to its largest size in 1741/42, 1786,
1797-1801, 1838 and 1941. Due to the quality of the water and its
shallowness, Lake Neusiedl is very suitable for bathing. In terms of
the nutrient contents of the water, the lake can be classified as
meso-eutrophic. However, the nutrient contents have been decreasing
because of the construction of sewage purification plants and sewer
construction. Nonetheless, the input of substances from various other
sources, such as agriculture are a cause of nutrient pollution. The
reed belt, which has grown heavily since the beginning of the 20th
century, covers an area of around 100 km%%sup 2/% on Austrian
territory; it is widest on the west bank at Donnerskirchen (5 km)
and smallest in the East near Podersdorf am See; the artificial
passages through the reed belt are locally called "Schluichten". Reed
is a source of income for the local population. Reed (used for the
insulation of walls in houses) is cut in 10-15% of the reed belt; the
reed belt is also a breeding ground and habitat for more than 250 bird
species (especially waders and aquatic birds). Lake Neusiedl is also
the habitat of more than 30 species of fish (especially eel, carp,
zander and pike) which are partly released for economic purposes. The
lake is a centre of tourism in the province of Burgenland. In 1999 75%
of all tourist arrivals and more than two thirds of overnight stays in
the entire province were registered in the lake region. The lake -
also called "the Sea of the Viennese"- offers facilities for many
kinds of sports (esp. water sports, cycle tracks). In the summer the
Seefestspiele Moerbisch (operetta festival) takes place at Lake
Neusiedl. - The conditions of the soil, the sunny Pannonian climate
and the natural regulation of the temperature provide essential
prerequisites for the cultivation of wine and wine cultivation has
grown strongly since 1965 especially east of the lake. Today wine is
cultivated almost everywhere to the east and west of the lake
(wine-growing regions: Lake Neusiedl and Lake Neusiedl hills); quality
white wines (Welschriesling, Mueller-Thurgau and Weissburgunder)
predominate, while red wines are also famous. Specialities of the
region are very sweet top-quality wines, in particular from Illmitz
and Rust. The so-called "wine roads" (Weinstrassen), where one
wine-growing village follows another, are to the northwest and to the
east of the lake. The most important towns and villages around the
lake are Neusiedl am See (alt. 131 m), Jois (alt. 150 m),
Breitenbrunn (alt. 136 m), Purbach am Neusiedlersee. (alt.
128 m), Donnerskirchen (alt. 193 m), Oggau am Neusiedler See
(alt. 130 m), Rust (alt. 123 m), St. Margarethen im
Burgenland (alt. 151 m) and Moerbisch am See (alt. 122 m) in
the north and west, Apetlon (alt. 120 m), Illmitz (alt.
117 m), Podersdorf am See (alt. 121 m), Gols (130 m)
and Weiden am See (alt. 124 m) in the east. The Burgenland
Institute of Biological Research or "Lake Neusiedl Biological Station"
near Illmitz has conducted limnological and environmental research in
the lake area since 1971. In 1993 the Lake Neusiedl-Seewinkel National
Park (comprising the south-eastern part of the lake and the shallow
salt ponds "Lacken" in the eastern swampland) was opened together in
cooperation with Hungary. This area (around 9,500 hectares on Austrian
and 12,700 hectares on Hungarian territory) is divided into a strictly
protected core zone and a conservation zone (the "Lacken") and a
nature reserve.
!Literature
Office of the Burgenland provincial government (ed.), Raum
Neusiedler See-Seewinkel, Problemdarstellung, 1984; idem (ed.),
2. Bgld. Umweltbericht, 1991; V. Schiefermeyer, Die Umwelt des
Neusiedler Sees und seiner Randgebiete, 1989; F. Czeike, Das
Burgenland, %%sup 2/%1991; V. Sebauer, R. Vesely and W. Weisgram, Der
Neusiedler See, 1994.
%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Neusiedler_See|class='wikipage austrian']
%%
[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]