Thaler See, Austrian lake

Thaler See is an artificial lake in Thal, Styria, covering 65,000 m² below Burg Unterthal. It was created around 1920 by damming ponds that had been drained since the late 18th century. A new lakeside building by Pittino & Otter, completed in 2022, houses a restaurant with 200 seats and eight guest rooms.

Around 1920 the owner of Unterthal Castle had ponds below the castle, drained since the second half of the 18th century, dammed again. In the first years after World War I the lake was impounded only in autumn so ice could be cut and stored in ice cellars by the lake and in Graz. In 1925 Hans von Reininghaus developed it into a 65,000 m² lido.

The name Thaler See refers to the village of Thal where the water body sits. Today the place serves as a gathering spot for local residents who come to spend time with family, have picnics, and watch the water.

The terrain is flat and accessible for visitors of all ages. Walkers and cyclists commonly use the paths around the water, and during warmer months small boats like pedal boats and rowboats are available to rent.

In 1985 Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed to Maria Shriver in a boat on the lake, and she accepted. The lake itself is artificial: around 1920 ponds below Burg Unterthal, drained since the second half of the 18th century, were dammed again, and in the first post-war years it was iced over only in autumn to harvest ice for the ice cellars of Graz.