Müritz, Lake in Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District, Germany
The Müritz covers an area of 117 square kilometers and reaches a depth of 31 meters (102 feet) at its deepest point. The body of water sits within a region of numerous smaller lakes and connects to the surrounding water system through natural channels.
The basin formed during the last ice age through glaciers that shaped the land. Water levels stood at 60.5 meters (198 feet) in the 12th century and were artificially raised to 62 meters (203 feet) in 1836.
The name Müritz probably derives from a Slavic word for "little sea", related to Lower Sorbian mórjo and Polish morze. The lake lies entirely within the Mecklenburg Lake District, and its water is part of the Müritz-Elde Waterway, a Class I federal waterway managed by the Lauenburg Waterway and Shipping Authority. The Müritz National Park, Germany's largest terrestrial national park, borders the eastern shore.
Several towns along the shore offer docking points for private boats and public bathing areas with shallow shore zones. The region is easily reachable by car and hiking trails lead through surrounding forests down to the water.
The Müritz drains north through the Elde but also feeds the Havel eastward via the Mirow Canal and Bolter Canal, making it a bifurcated waterway. The Reeck Canal, just over two kilometres long, links the Binnenmüritz westward to the Kölpinsee.
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