Mainau
From Free net encyclopedia
Mainau is an island in Lake Constance (on the south shore of the Überlinger See, near the city of Constance), at approximately Template:Coor dm.
The owner of the island is the Swedish Count Bernadotte, former Royal Prince of Sweden and Duke of Smalandia. It is one of the main tourists attractions of Lake Constance. Beside flowers, there is a great park landscape with beautiful views on the lake. There is also a greenhouse with tropical climate and thousands of butterflies in it.
In summer you will see lots of small sailing boats. The Mainau bay is where the university sailing club is located.
Until the Napoleonic mediatisations and secularizations of small German fiefs, this island belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. It was later sold into private ownership. In the 1850's, Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden purchased the island. The island and the manor belonged to Grand Duke Frederick I personally. When Grand Duke Frederick II of Baden, son of Frederick I, was succeeded by a male cousin to the Duchy of Baden (because of Salic Law), the private property, however, went to his sister, Victoria of Baden, the wife of the King of Sweden. She later gave the island to her second son and his descendants. Count Lennart Bernadotte received the property as a grandson of Queen Victoria of Sweden.
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de:Mainau et:Mainau nl:Mainau pl:Mainau pt:Ilha Mainau sv:Mainau