Schlachtensee - Südufer - Top 10 Bathing Lakes for Swimming

With 41 hectares, Schlachtensee is the largest lake in the Grunewald lake chain and is one of Berlin's bathing lakes with officially excellent water quality. The entire undeveloped shore is considered a bathing area; Paul-Ernst-Park adjoins the south shore. A seven-kilometer-long lakeside path connects the shady coves. Swimming is free, dogs are not allowed.

Schlachtensee in Zehlendorf: The largest lake in the Grunewald lake chain

Schlachtensee is the largest lake in the Grunewald lake chain: approximately 41 hectares of water surface, about 1.9 million cubic meters in volume, and an average depth of 4.7 meters, with a shoreline of just over five kilometers. It originated as a natural inland lake in a glacial channel that runs across the Grunewald. The fact that the water is so clear today has a technical background. In the late 1970s, the lake struggled with annual algae blooms; since 1981, it has been fed at the southern end with treated Havel water, and between 1981 and 1996, nutrient-rich deep water was additionally pumped out. It drains via the Wolfsschluchtkanal to Krumme Lanke and further via the Fenngraben to Grunewaldsee. The bathing water quality is officially classified as excellent, and the risk of a blue-green algae bloom is considered low. Nearby are Krumme Lanke and Grunewaldsee, which belong to the same glacial channel.

The South Shore with its lakeside path, shady coves, and the Fischerhütte

The entire undeveloped shore is considered a bathing area, not just a designated beach section. Paul-Ernst-Park adjoins the south shore, and a seven-kilometer-long lakeside path runs around the lake, connecting the small, shady coves. Swimming is free, a mobile toilet and parking are available, however, the area is not barrier-free, and dogs are not allowed on the beach or sunbathing lawns. At the Fischerhütte, which dates back to 1750, there is gastronomy and rowboat rental. Two things to know: In some areas, whirlpools make swimming dangerous, and swimmer’s itch (cercariae) is reported particularly frequently here, especially in early and mid-summer. Additionally, since winter 2025/26, laminated wood hedges and protective strips will guide visitors back to the paved paths, which may make the way to the water slightly longer. The work is ongoing until the end of 2027. The shore is accessible by S1, whose Schlachtensee station is located directly on the lake.