Laacher See, Volcanic crater lake in Glees, Germany
This body of water sits inside a volcanic caldera near the village of Maria Laach in the Eifel region. Its nearly circular outline and steep wooded slopes give it a distinct shape, and several footpaths run along the shore through forests of beech and oak.
A massive eruption roughly 13,000 years ago hollowed out the basin that later filled with water. Benedictine monks founded a monastery on the shore during the 11th century, and the community remains active to this day.
The Benedictine monastery on the western shore operates a bookshop and workshop where monks continue to practice traditional crafts. Visitors often stop to buy handmade pottery and other items produced within the monastic community.
A circular footpath of roughly 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) follows the shore through forest and is mostly flat, making it easy for families with children. The water temperature rises enough for swimming in July and August, and the north and southeast shores have designated bathing areas.
Gas bubbles rise steadily through the water near the eastern shore, a visible sign of the magma chamber still active below. These emissions, known as mofettes, are best seen from a small jetty where the phenomenon has continued without pause for decades.
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