Rotsee, Lake in Lucerne, Switzerland
Rotsee is a lake in Lucerne, Switzerland, formed by glacial processes and fed by no major inflow. It has a length of 2,400 meters (about 1.5 miles) and is bordered by hills that shelter it from the wind, making it a flat and still body of water.
The lake was used for ice cutting from 1885 until the 1910s, when refrigerators made the practice obsolete. In 1916, an army ammunition depot nearby exploded, killing five people and throwing thousands of grenades into the water.
German-speaking rowers call the lake Göttersee, or Lake of the Gods, a nickname coined at the 1962 World Rowing Championships. Today, visitors can watch rowers train and compete, and locals use the shores for walks and picnics.
The lake is easy to reach from Lucerne, with paths along the shore for walking and cycling. The water is best visited in the warmer months, though the area can be cool and windy at times, so bring a jacket.
The lake's sheltered position and lack of current create conditions so still that rowers compare it to a mirror. The surrounding hills also block the wind, allowing for fair and record-setting races.
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