It is situated in the northwest of the city in the Reinickendorf borough, in the Ortsteil of Tegel.

The historic name Tegel (first recorded in 1322 as Tygel) is common for a larger territory and also used for the settlements of the Tegel locality, the Tegelort ("Tegel Village") neighbourhood within the Konradshöhe locality and the Berlin-Tegel International Airport.

[citation needed] The lake is connected to the navigable River Havel, which flows in and out of the lake at its western end.

Within the lake are the islands of Hasselwerder, Lindwerder, Scharfenberg, Reiswerder, Baumwerder, Valentinswerder and Maienwerder.

Scharfenberg, Valentinswerder and Maienwerder are accessible by some of Berlin's ferry services.