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{{Infobox body of water
| name = Gnadensee
| image = InselReichenau 20090709 MartinSteiger CCBYSA 001.jpg
| caption = In the upper part of the photograph the elongated Gnadensee runs towards the west and ends in the "Markelfinger Winkel"
| location = [[Baden-Württemberg]]
| coordinates = {{coord|47|42|30|N|09|03|30|E|type:landmark_region:DE-BW|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Germany
| inflow = Nägelriedgraben
| outflow = [[Rheinsee]]
| islands = 
| cities = 
| elevation = 
| area = {{convert|13|km}}<sup>2</sup>
| length = {{convert|11.1|km}}
| width = {{convert|1.9|km}} 
| depth = 
| max-depth = {{convert|19|m}}
| volume = 
| shore = 
}}
The '''Gnadensee''' is part of [[Lower Lake Constance]] ({{langx|de|Untersee}}), the western part of the lake.

==Description ==
The Gnadensee lies between [[Allensbach]] in the north and the [[island of Reichenau]] in the south. In the west it extends to the [[Mettnau]] peninsula ([[Radolfzell]]) and its eastern end borders on the [[Wollmatinger Ried]] Nature Reserve and the Reichenaudamm with its prominent avenue of poplars. The extremely small part in the northwest is called the [[Markelfinger Winkel]]. Together with the latter it has an area of 13 square kilometres.<ref>[http://www.bodensee-geodatenpool.net/Bodensee/images/Publikationen/Karte%201%20-%20Teilseen%20und%20Theinm%C3%BCndung.pdf Bodensee: Teilseen und Rheinmündung] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218181500/http://www.bodensee-geodatenpool.net/Bodensee/images/Publikationen/Karte%201%20-%20Teilseen%20und%20Theinm%C3%BCndung.pdf |date=2015-02-18 }}  (Karte)</ref> It reaches a maximum depth of 19 metres.<ref>[http://www.igkb.org/fileadmin/user_upload/dokumente/publikationen/gruene_berichte/40_gb40_gesamtbericht.pdf#page=43 ikgb Internationale Gewässerschutzkommission für den Bodensee: Limnologischer Zustand des Bodensees, Report No. 40] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052345/http://www.igkb.org/fileadmin/user_upload/dokumente/publikationen/gruene_berichte/40_gb40_gesamtbericht.pdf#page=43 |date=2016-03-04 }}, p. 43</ref>

== Name ==
The name of the Gnadensee probably dates to the period when the local [[judiciary]] was based on the island of Reichenau. If an accused person was found guilty and sentenced to death, the execution could not take place on the island. It had to be carried out on the mainland as the whole island was holy ground. As a result, the convict was taken by boat to the mainland in the direction of present-day Allensbach, in order that the sentence could be carried out. If the local ruler, the abbot, wanted to reprieve the criminal, he had a bell rung before the boat reached the far shore. This was a signal to the executioner on the mainland that the convict had received a pardon or ''Gnade'' ("mercy" or "grace" in German).<ref>Helmut Fidler: ''Kleine Kulturgeschichte des Ruderns am Untersee'', in: ''Hegau. Zeitschrift für Geschichte, Volkskunde und Naturgeschichte des Gebietes zwischen Rhein, Donau und Bodensee'', Jahresband 68 (2011), pp. 5–26, here p. 12.</ref>

Another explanation is that the name Gnadensee is derived from [[Mary, Mother of God]], the "Lady of our Grace", and is an [[Ellipsis (linguistics)|ellipsis]] of the word ''Gnaden[frau]see'' ("Lady of Grace Lake"), as the [[Reichenau Abbey|monastery in Mittelzell]] was dedicated to Saint Mary.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Gnadensee}}

{{Lake Constance}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Geography of Lake Constance]]