Lake Constance (German Bodensee, also known as Schwäbisches Meer (informally) and sometimes written Lake of Constance) is a lake on the Rhine between Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

The freshwater lake sits at 395 m above sea level and is central Europe's largest. The greatest depth is 252 m in the middle of the eastern part (Obersee). It's volume is approximately 55 km³. The lake has four parts: Obersee, Überlinger See, Zeller See and Untersee. The Rhine flows through the Obersee, the city of Konstanz and the Untersee. The exit is near Stein am Rhein.

Lake Constance was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the ice age. The Rhine, the Bregenzer Ache, and the Dornbirner Ache carry sediments from the Alps to the lake, thus minimizing the depth of the lake from the southeast.

Lake Constance was first mentioned by the hispanic geograph Pomponius Mela about 43 B.C. He noted that the Rhine flows through two lakes, Lacus Venetus (today Obersee) and Lacus Acronius (today Untersee). Pliny the Elder used the name Lacus Brigantinus according to the Roman city of Brigantium, today Bregenz.

Car ferries link Romanshorn , Switzerland to Friedrichshafen, and Konstanz to Meersburg .

Contents

1 Islands in the lake 2 Towns and cities on the lake 2.1 Austria 2.2 Germany 2.3 Switzerland

Islands in the lake

• Mainau Island
• Reichenau Island
• Lindau

Towns and cities on the lake

Austria

• Hard
• Bregenz
• Lochau

Germany

From the entry of the Rhine, on the northern or right shore:

• On the Upper Lake (Obersee) and Überlinger See
  • Lindau, Bavaria
  • Wasserburg , Bavaria
  • Kressbronn , Baden-Württemberg
  • Langenargen
  • Eriskirch
  • Friedrichshafen
  • Immenstaad
  • Hagnau
  • Meersburg
  • Daisendorf (on Überlinger See)
  • Unteruhldingen
  • Überlingen
  • Sipplingen
  • Bodman-Ludwigshafen
  • Wallhausen
  • Dingelsdorf
  • Litzelstetten
• Konstanz
• On the lower lake (Untersee)
  • Allensbach (on Gnadensee)
  • Radolfzell (on Zellersee)
  • Gaienhofen

Switzerland

From the entry of the Rhine, on the southern or left shore:

• On the Upper Lake (Obersee)
  • Altenrhein , St. Gallen
  • Rorschach, St. Gallen
  • Horn , Thurgau
  • Steinach , St. Gallen
  • Arbon , Thurgau (as all the following)
  • Frasnacht
  • Egnach
  • Romanshorn
  • Uttwil
  • Kesswil
  • Güttingen
  • Altnau
  • Landschlacht
  • Münsterlingen
  • Bottighofen
  • Kreuzlingen (and Konstanz, Germany)
• On the Rhine
  • Gottlieben
• On the Lower Lake (Untersee)
  • Ermatingen
  • Mannenbach
  • Berlingen
  • Steckborn
  • Mammern
  • Eschenz