Day trip destination
Pragser Wildsee lake: the pearl of the Dolomites
Pragser Wildsee lake stands out thanks to its position in the middle of the Prags Dolomites in the northern part of Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park.
Depending on the weather, Pragser Wildsee lake shimmers alternate hues of deepest emerald green and turquoise blue before the majestic Seekofel mountain (2,810 metres). The surrounding woodlands and boathouse on its banks are reflected picturesquely in its waters. The lake was probably formed after a landslide that dammed up a pool of water. It lies at 1,494 metres above sea level, the water level covers around 31 hectares. The lake is a starting point for the classic Dolomites high altitude path, which leads from Prags to Belluno in around 13 days.
The wild lake shrouded in legend
Lots of stories centre on Pragser Wildsee lake and the Seekofel mountain about the vanished kingdom of Fanes from Ladin legend: it is said that the kingdom of Fanes, whose gates were at the foot of the Seekofel, could be reached by boat from the lake. It is for this reason that the Seekofel mountain is called 'Sas dla Porta' in Ladin, meaning 'gateway mountain'. Even today, legend has it that Dolasilla, the queen of Fanes, sails her boat along with her sister across the lake during the first night of a new moon in autumn every year and that they wait for the promised time to come when once again everything will return to being as it was before.
Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park
Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park, founded in 1980, lies in the Dolomites and its area of over 25,000 hectares comprises areas of Abtei, Enneberg, Olang, Prags, Toblach and Wengen. Capercaillie and foxes lives in the spruce woodland of the Nature Park, while gentian, arnica, tiger lilies and Turk's cap lily bloom on the pastures and meadows. At over 2,000 metres, you can see mountain hares, snow grouse and edelweiß with a bit of luck. The area around Pragser Wildsee lake is especially good for observing red deer and chamois. If you're curious about plants, animals and mountain formations, you should go to Fanes-Sennes-Prags Vistor Centre in St. Vigil in Enneberg. You can find out about geology, flora and fauna and the legends of Fanes. Toblacher See lake also lies in Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park.
Hotel Pragser Wildsee
The ever imposing hotel on the shores of Pragser Wildsee lake opened its doors in 1899, and is a beautiful example of the grand hotels of the turn of the century. Towards the end of the Second World War, the hotel became the centre of dramatic events. Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler decided to have special prisoners from the concentration camps brought to Niederdorf in the Pustertal valley in order to improve his position in the negotiations with the Allies using blackmail. They were the regime's “most valuable” prisoners; celebrities who were supposedly worth more to the SS than an entire division. The plan failed. On April 30, the hostages were freed from the SS by Wehrmacht officer Wichard von Alvensleben and taken to the Hotel Pragser Wildsee. They stayed there for four weeks and were looked after by the hotel owner, tourism pioneer Emma Hellenstainer, until the Americans liberated them on May 4, 1945.
