| Mainau Island | |
 | |
| State | Germany |
|---|---|
| Region | Baden-Württemberg |
| Surface | 0.447 km² |
| Inhabitants | 185 (2008) |
| Institutional website | |
Mainau it is an island in the Lake Constance in Germany.
To know
"The island of flowers", as Mainau is called for the famous cultivation of flowers. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Lake Constance. Next to the flowers there is a park overlooking the lake. There is also a greenhouse with a tropical climate and thousands of butterflies.
Geographical notes
The island is just 1.1km long and 600m wide with a total coastline of 3.2km. The highest point is at 425m.
When to go
Being inside a rather large lake, the climate of this island is quite distinct from other European places at the same latitude.
Background
Until the Napoleonic subdivisions of the small German fiefdoms this island belonged to the Order of the Teutonic Knights. It was later sold as private property. In 1853, Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden bought the island as his personal property and built a summer palace there. At the end of the First World War, Baden became a republic with the abdication of the Grand Duke Frederick II of Baden, son of Frederick I. The former Grand Duke kept his exclusive property including Mainau (a controversial referendum to expropriate some of the remaining "private land" "owned by the former ruling houses went bankrupt in 1926 for failing to reach 50% of the quorum of eligible voters).
When he died childless in 1928, the island passed to his sister Victoria of Baden, wife of King Gustav V of Sweden. Upon his death two years later, he bequeathed the island to his second son, Prince Vilhelm, Duke of Södermanland and his descendants. In 1932 Prince Wilhem gave Mainau to his only son, Count Lennart Bernadotte of Wisborg, who owned it until 1974, when he transferred the island to a foundation. Count Bernadotte founded Enterprise Mainau GmbH in 1991 as a private enterprise to manage the island for the benefit of Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung[[File: | thumb |]]. The count remained active in the management of Mainau until his death in 2004, but appointed his second wife Sonja as co-director in 2001. Lennart's widow, Countess Sonja Bernadotte af Wisborg and her children managed the foundation and management company until 2007. Since January 2007 Bettina Bernadotte, the eldest daughter of Lennart and Sonja Bernadotte, have directed the Mainau GmbH as directors.
Culture and traditions
Mainau is maintained as a garden island and a model of excellent environmental practices.
Frederick I, Grand Duke of Baden, created the island's arboretum, which now contains 500 species of deciduous and coniferous trees, many exotic and precious, including valuable specimens of Sequoiadendron giganteum (1864) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (1952). The island also contains around 200 varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas.
The Italian rose garden arranged geometrically with pergolas, sculptures and fountains and includes about 500 varieties of roses. The Mediterranean terraces contain exotic potted plants, including palm trees, agaves, cacti and bougainvillea. The island as a whole contains around 30,000 rose bushes representing 1,200 varieties and around 20,000 dahlias of 250 varieties.
The island
Mainau Island: full screen map.Rates and timetables
The island of Mainau is open all year round from sunrise to sunset.
High season (mid-March - mid-October): € 19 for adults, € 11 for school-age children (13 and above) and students (with ID card), € 39 per family (2 adults and children under 16) and free for children (under 13 years old) ). A 50% discount on the ticket price is available from 5pm. Groups per person (minimum 10 people) cost € 14.90.
Out of season (mid-October - mid-March): € 9.50 for adults, reductions € 5.50, group tickets € 7.50. Family ticket and sunset ticket are not available. Parking is free.
How to get
By car
From Constance follow the Mainaustraße. Cars are not allowed on the island and you have to park outside for € 4 during the high season and free during the low season.
- Bodensee Schifffahrt, ☎ 49 7531 3640-0. It offers regular ship services from most major cities, eg. Constance (€ 8,20), Überlingen (€ 8.20) e Meersburg (€ 6,80).
- Vorarlberg Lines Bodenseeschifffahrt, ☎ 43 5574 42868, @[email protected].
Adults between € 26-49.90 from various locations on the lake. The price includes a return ticket and the island entrance fee.. Offers daily boat cruises to Mainau. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours.
Adults between € 26-49.90 from various locations on the lake. The price includes a return ticket and the island entrance fee.. Offers daily boat cruises to Mainau. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours.On the train
The closest station is that of Constance.
By bus
From Costanza you can take the urban bus 4/13 or 13/4. Times can be combined here.
By bike
The island is easily accessible from nearby towns by bike.
How to get around
On the island you can only move on foot, bikes are also forbidden.
What see
- 1 Castle.
Mon-Sun 10 am-5pm. The Castle of the Teutonic Order is the architectural highlight of the island located in the eastern part. The royal Bernadotte family still lives in the building. - 2 Palm house. Mon-Sun 09: 00-21: 00. This house is the exotic heart of Mainau with palm and orange trees and a breathtaking view from the castle terrace.
Mon-Sun 10 am-5pm. The Castle of the Teutonic Order is the architectural highlight of the island located in the eastern part. The royal Bernadotte family still lives in the building.
- 3 Butterfly house. Mon-Sun, high season 10: 00-19: 00, low season 10: 00-17: 00. One of the highlights of the island is the tropical butterfly house. See hundreds of butterflies as you stroll through the humid rainforest house. It is the second largest of its kind in Germany.
- 4 Arboretum. A park with large old trees.
What to do
- Wine tasting, Torbogenkeller. During the main season, every first and third Friday of the month it is possible to taste the wine of the island. The tasting starts at 3:30 pm and lasts 30 minutes.
At the table
- 1 Restaurant Schwedenschenke, ☎ 49 7531 303-156. High season Mon-Sun 11: 00-23: 00, low season closed. Cheaper quick lunches during the day and fine dining in the evening. If you have a reservation, you are allowed to drive on the island from 6pm and park next to the restaurant.
- 2 Comturey (near the port). High season Mon-Sun: restaurant 11: 30-17: 00 (kitchen open until 15:30), bakery 09: 00-19: 00, beer garden 10: 00-18: 00, ice cream 11: 00-17: 00. Closed low season. In this area you can find a restaurant, a bakery, a beer garden and an ice cream parlor.
Safety
Nothing to report.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Mainau Island
Commons contains images or other files on Mainau Island
