Lake Sempach
lake in Switzerland
Lake Sempach (German: Sempachersee, Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈzɛmpaxərˌzeː]) is a lake in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. Its area is about 14.5 km2 (5.6 sq mi) and its maximum depth is 87 m (285 ft).
A 50-metre-large (160 ft) island named Gamma Insel is located east of Sursee.
In the 17th century the lake counted with five ferries, that brought goods to the weekly market in Sursee.
Many inhabitants of local areas swim, boat, paddle, and fish in Lake Sempach, due to its ease of accessibility.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Lake Sempach” as lake in Switzerland. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as lake in Switzerland. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q14459. VIAF identifies the subject as 244551005. Authority coordinates are 47.150, 8.150. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Lake Sempach”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Lake Sempach primary sources, Lake Sempach archive and Lake research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Lake Sempach”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Lake Sempach” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.