The water in the park

The Kleinhesseloher See

The lake looks as if someone had found it. That was exactly the intention. It was laid out in 1803, and it is still the sociable waterside of the English Garden.

English Garden

Laid out, not found

The Kleinhesseloher See was laid out in 1803 on the orders of Reinhard von Werneck, then director of the English Garden. At first it measured around 35,000 square metres. Today it covers 8.64 hectares, almost two and a half times as much.

It is shallow throughout, and that is no flaw but part of the design. Shallow water looks wide, warms quickly and can be used by rowing boats and pedalos without its depth becoming a danger.

Three islands lie in the lake. You cannot set foot on them; they belong to the waterfowl, and in a place this crowded that is no small thing.

The Seehaus

Present building: since 1985
Architects: Ernst Hürlimann and Ludwig Wiedemann
Seats: around 2,500
Operation: beer garden with self-service and a served area, plus a restaurant
Boats: rowing boats and pedalos in the warm season

Alongside the Chinese Tower and the Aumeister, the Seehaus is one of the large inns in the park, but it strikes a different note: you sit by the water rather than under chestnuts, and the music does not come from above. How the big houses differ is shown on the page Munich's beer gardens.

The walk from the Chinese Tower

From the tower it is ten to fifteen minutes on foot northwards to the shore. Walking round the lake afterwards takes about half an hour and shows it to you from every side.

The lake also marks a boundary. Just north of it runs the Isarring, and beyond the road begins the quieter, more spacious northern part of the park, around 245 hectares.

Through the year

Spring and summer. Boats on the water, crowded lawns, the Seehaus busy.

Autumn. The loveliest season, we think. The leaves are mirrored in the water, the lawns empty.

Winter. In hard winters the shallow lake freezes over. As early as 1891 the first German speed skating championship was held here. Whether the ice may be walked on today is decided by the park administration; you do not venture out on your own initiative.

The border between two parks

The lake lies right on the seam. South of it is the busy part with the Monopteros, the Chinese Tower and the Eisbach wave, around 130 hectares. North of it, beyond the Isarring, lies the Hirschau, the wide and quiet northern part of around 245 hectares. Walk north from the tower and at the lakeside you feel the park change its tone.

Why the lake is shallow

A park lake laid out by design has no depth to prove; its job is to make a picture. Shallow water warms quickly, freezes early and stays harmless for boats. The price is fragility: in hot summers the water turns warm and sluggish, and the lake needs care.

The three islands

That no one can set foot on them is the whole point. In a park with around five million visitors a year, the waterfowl keep retreats here that nobody can reach. Stand on the shore in spring and watch the bustle on the water, and you are also seeing what that restraint achieves.

Practical

Circuit: around 30 minutes on foot
From the Chinese Tower: 10 to 15 minutes north
Sunbathing lawns: all round the lake
Admission: none, accessible all year round
Walking on the ice: only when the park administration expressly allows it

Frequently asked questions

When was the Kleinhesseloher See laid out?

In 1803, on the initiative of Reinhard von Werneck, then director of the English Garden.

How big is the Kleinhesseloher See?

8.64 hectares. Originally it measured around 35,000 square metres, considerably less.

How many islands does the Kleinhesseloher See have?

Three. You cannot set foot on them; they serve the waterfowl as a retreat.

Since when has the Seehaus existed?

The present building dates from 1985 and was designed by Ernst Hürlimann and Ludwig Wiedemann. It has around 2,500 seats.

Can you go boating on the Kleinhesseloher See?

Yes, rowing boats and pedalos are hired out in the warm season.

German version