Sihlsee, Reservoir in Schwyz, Switzerland
Sihlsee is a reservoir in the canton of Schwyz near Einsiedeln, covering an area of more than 11 square kilometers and reaching a depth of 17 meters. The water lies at an elevation of 880 meters and stretches about 8.5 kilometers through the upper Sihl valley.
The reservoir was built in 1937, requiring the relocation of more than 1,700 people and the abandonment of over 100 farms. The facility was created to supply the Etzelwerk power station, which generates electricity for the Swiss Federal Railways.
The name comes from the Sihl River, which was dammed to form this body of water that now defines the surrounding landscape. Local people walk and cycle along the shoreline paths, while the forested slopes of the Etzel rise in the background.
Several shoreline paths and viewpoints are accessible from the surrounding area and offer opportunities to explore the water. The region is suitable for walking and cycling, with trails of varying length and sometimes uneven terrain.
The reservoir was considered the largest artificial lake in Switzerland when completed and fundamentally changed the upper Sihl valley. Today, old photographs still show the villages and fields that were submerged at the time.
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