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Ruppiner See is a
Photo and map of the lake
Lakes of Brandenburg Ostprignitz-Ruppin Neuruppin {{Brandenburg-geo-stub
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
in Ostprignitz-Ruppin
Ostprignitz-Ruppin is a ''Kreis'' (district) in the northwestern part of Brandenburg, Germany. Neighboring are (from north clockwise) the districts Müritz and Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the districts
Oberhavel and Have ...
, Brandenburg
Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a states of Germany, state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an ar ...
, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. At an elevation of , its surface area is . It is believed to have formed as a glacial tunnel valley.
History
A Slavic fortification stood at the mouth of theRhin
The Rhin is a long river in Brandenburg, Germany, right tributary to the river Havel. It flows through the city Neuruppin and several lakes. A few kilometres downstream from Rhinow it flows into the Havel, about upstream from where the Havel ...
on the northern shore. In the 12th century, the German settlement of Ruppin (now called Altruppin
Neuruppin (; North Brandenburgisch: ''Reppin'') is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, the administrative seat of Ostprignitz-Ruppin district. It is the birthplace of the novelist Theodor Fontane (1819–1898) and therefore also referred to as ''Fonta ...
) was established next to it. A few decades later, Neuruppin was established on the southwest shore. A mill was built in Altfriesack, between the Ruppiner See and the Bützsee next to the Slavic settlement of Wustrau. The latter is probably the oldest settlement on the lake. Around the lake are other villages, which mostly now belong to the municipality of Neuruppin. Wustrau and Altfriesack now form one division in the municipality of Fehrbellin.
Economic and strategic importance
The lake was strategically important as it was the center of the Slavic area. It was also of economic importance due to its fisheries and for transportation. The building of theRuppiner Canal
The Kremmener Luch is a sha ...
in 1788 increased its importance, as it was then connected to the
The Kremmener Luch is a sha ...Havel
The Havel () is a river in northeastern Germany, flowing through the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe and long. However, the direct distance from its source to its mo ...
and thereby with Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
.
Since 1898, a railroad causeway on the Kremmen–Wittstock line has cut the lake in two, 2.5 km from the north shore running east and west.
Today, the Ruppiner See is the reservoir for the wetlands known as the Rhinluch. Until the beginning of May, water is held there from the spring runoff. It is then released over the locks in Alt Friesack to prevent the wetlands from drying out. The management of this runoff has the potential for political conflict.
See also
* NeuruppinExternal links
Photo and map of the lake
Lakes of Brandenburg Ostprignitz-Ruppin Neuruppin {{Brandenburg-geo-stub