Krautinsel, Uninhabited islet in Chiemsee, Germany
Krautinsel is a small, uninhabited islet in the Chiemsee, located between the larger Fraueninsel and Herreninsel. It has an elongated shape, roughly 171 m wide and 366 m long, and is covered with low vegetation.
Finds from the 1990s show that people were living in this area of the lake during the Stone Age. Stone tools discovered there document an early human presence that long predates any written record of the island.
The name Krautinsel goes back to the Benedictine nuns of nearby Frauenwörth, who grew vegetables and herbs there. Nothing remains of that practice today, but the name still carries that memory.
The island is not served by any regular ferry and can only be reached by private boat, kayak, or paddleboard. Conditions on the Chiemsee can change quickly with wind, so it is worth checking the weather before heading out on the water.
Every summer, cattle are brought onto the island to graze and then ferried back to the mainland by boat in autumn. This seasonal practice makes the islet an active part of local farming life to this day.
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