LAACHER SEE

laacher see, a lake of germany, in the prussian rhine province, 5 m. w. of brohl on the rhine, and n. of the village of niedermendig. it occupies what is supposed to be a crater of the eifel volcanic formation, and the pumice stone and basalt found in great quantities around it lend credence to this theory. it lies 850 ft. above the sea, is 5 m. in circumference and 160 ft. deep, and is surrounded by an amphitheatre of high hills. the water is sky blue in colour, very cold and bitter to the taste. the lake has no natural outlet and consequently is subjected to a considerable rise and fall. on the western side lies the benedictine abbey of st maria laach (_abballa lacensis_) founded in 1093 by henry ii., count palatine of the rhine. the abbey church, dating from the 12th century, was restored in 1838. the history of the monastery down to modern times appears to have been uneventful. in 1802 it was abolished and at the close of the napoleonic wars it became a prussian state demesne. in 1863 it passed into the hands of the jesuits, who, down to their expulsion in 1873, published here a periodical, which still appears, entitled _stimmen aus maria laach_. in 1892 the monastery was again occupied by the benedictines.