Lake Brienz
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Why go
- The nutrient-poor lake is among Switzerland’s cleanest.
- At 260 metres deep, Lake Brienz is the deepest lake in the canton of Bern.
Don't miss
- SchnäggeninseliLook out for the lake’s only island, 250 metres offshore from Iseltwald.Offshore from Iseltwald
- Giessbach FallsThe falls descend into Lake Brienz in fourteen steps.Southeastern shore
- Grandhotel GiessbachThe hotel is visible from the lake.Near Giessbach on the southeastern shore
- LötschbergThe paddle steamer, built in 1914, operates on the lake.Lake Brienz
History
Lake Brienz was once the eastern part of Wendelsee. Alluvium deposited by the Lütschine separated the lakes and created the Interlaken plain.
- about 16,000 years agoLake Brienz emerged from the ice, among the last large Alpine lakes to do so.
- 1146–1439Interlaken convent acquired the lake and its surroundings.
- 1434The convent built a weir in the Aar to power a mill. It blocked fish passage, raised the lake level and turned the Brienz plain into marshland.
- Protestant ReformationThe lake and convent property came under Bern's control.
- 1562Bern's city authorities first regulated passenger shipping on the lake.
Show all
- early 19th centuryElisabetha Grossmann worked as a boatwoman on the lake and became a tourist attraction.
- 1839Steamship service began on Lake Brienz.
- 1853–1855Two locks replaced the convent weir and lowered the lake by two metres.
- 1865A road along the north shore was completed.
- 1872–1916A railway connection was built in stages, reducing lake traffic.
- 1948–49At Nase, 280 tonnes of surplus grenades and artillery ammunition were dumped at depths of 180–200 metres. They remain because recovery could disturb the lake ecosystem.
Tips for your visit
- Expect relatively cool water: the average surface temperature is 10.85°C.
- The steep shores leave very few shallow areas.
- Passenger ships connect with the Giessbachbahn funicular to Giessbach Falls.
- Egli perch from Lake Brienz is a regional delicacy.
Know before you go
- Passenger ships have operated on Lake Brienz since 1839; five currently run on the lake.
How to get there
- BoatBLS operates five passenger boats connecting Interlaken Ost railway station with Brienz and other lakeside settlements.
- TrainThe Brünig railway line follows the northern shore.
- CarA local road follows the northern shore. The A8 runs above the southern shore, mostly through tunnels.
Shorts
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🇨🇭 Lake Brienz, Switzerland 🇨🇭Is This The Most Beautiful Place on Ear…TRAVELINGAWESOME | Beyond the Travel Map
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Boat trip on the lake Brienz. Interlaken, Switzerland.BestofSwitzerland
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Lake Brienz makes you sing at heartrate 169Pascal Hiltbrand
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The most amazing day in Lake Brienz Switzerland.Yanessa Marie
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Lake Brienz is Switzerland’s most beautiful lake, with its turquoise …unpluggedtravelbug
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Most beautiful lakes in Switzerland - Lake Brienz - IseltwaldSylvia Michel Photography
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8. Lake Brienzkateswanderlens
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Lake Brienz 🤯🇨🇭 InterlakenDr. Tayyab Khan
Interesting facts6
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14 kilometres
Lake Brienz is 14 kilometres long and 2.8 kilometres wide. It covers 29.8 square kilometres, with its surface 564 metres above sea level.
Lake Brienz - Wikipedia -
The Aare, Giessbach and two branches of the Lütschine feed the lake. It drains into the Aare at its western end.
Lake Brienz - Wikipedia -
Brienzlig is named after the lake and occurs only in Lakes Brienz and Thun.
Brienzersee - Wikipedia -
4,274 metres
The Finsteraarhorn, at 4,274 metres above sea level, is the highest point in the lake’s drainage basin.
Lake Brienz - Wikipedia -
1356
The lake last froze over in 1356.
Lac de Brienz - Wikipedia -
Rocks, gravel and deadwood along the shore provide shelter for fish.
Lac de Brienz - Wikipedia
Sources: Lake Brienz - Wikipedia · Brienzersee - Wikipedia · Lac de Brienz - Wikipedia · Lago di Brienz - Wikipedia · checked 1 Oct 2026
- Website
- brienzersee.ch/
Plan from here: Evening walk →
Where to stay nearby
Questions and answers
How did Lake Brienz get its name?
It takes its name from Brienz, which stands on its northern shore.
What separates Lake Brienz from Lake Thun?
The Bödeli tongue of land separates the lakes; Interlaken lies between them along the Aare.
Which villages line Lake Brienz?
Iseltwald lies on the south shore; Ringgenberg, Niederried and Oberried lie on the north shore.
Is there a race around Lake Brienz?
An annual 35-kilometre race has circled the lake since 1957; it is Switzerland’s oldest long-distance race.
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