The surface area of Lake Attersee extends for about from north to south and from east to west. With an average depth of , its water volume even surpasses the
Chiemsee, which is larger by area. The main inflow is the
Seeache creek, which flows out of the nearby
Mondsee lake in the southwest. Both Attersee and Mondsee are part of a chain of lakes, beginning with
Fuschlsee and
Irrsee. The waters flow off with the
Ager River down to the
Traun which itself discharges into the
Danube at
Linz. In the southwest of the lake the
Schafberg ("Sheep Mountain"), part of the
Salzkammergut Mountains, rises up to , separating it from the
Mondsee lake, whose southern shore borders the state of
Salzburg. The
Höllengebirge (literally "hell mountains")
karst range, with a height of up to , is located southeast of the lake. Due to its steady winds and clean water quality, Attersee is famous for attracting sailors and swimmers alike. During the season numerous sailing competitions are held. One of the most cherished winds on Attersee is the so-called "Rosenwind" meaning "breeze of roses". It is an easterly wind that crosses a castle's rose garden and fills the air across the lake with the smell of roses. The surrounding settlements largely depend on
tourism, mainly in spring, summer and autumn. Because of the lake's size and despite the cold temperatures during winter the lake rarely freezes. The last time the lake was entirely covered with ice was in the late 1940s, when people were seen skating and riding motorcycles across the thickly frozen surface of the lake. == History ==