Nar
Nar is a small crater lake (so-called maar) in the heart of Cappadocia, on the border of Aksaray and Nigde provinces. The water here is brackish, and the lake itself is located at an altitude of about 1,363 meters. The area is modest, less than a square kilometer, but the depth reaches 21 meters.
This is a trace of an ancient volcano: the hollow was formed during volcanic activity, and the past is still visible - hot springs are beating all around, the water of which is pumped to nearby hotels for thermal baths. So you can warm up after a walk.
And Nar is also interesting to scientists: the bottom sediments lie in layers, like annual rings, and preserve the history of the climate for many thousands of years. Not a lake, but a whole library, although no one forbids swimming in it.
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is Lake Nar and where is it?
This is a small crater lake (called a maar) in Cappadocia, on the border of Aksaray and Nigde provinces in central Turkey. The water here is brackish, and the lake itself is located at an altitude of 1,363 meters above sea level.
What size is it?
Small, but deep: the area is about 0.7 square kilometers, but the depth reaches 21 meters. The nearest settlement is the village of Gyulagach.
How was the lake formed?
This is a trace of an ancient volcano: the hollow was formed during volcanic activity, so geologists attribute Nar to the Maars. The volcanic past is still visible - hot springs are bubbling all around.
What can you do here besides swimming?
Local geothermal water is pumped to nearby hotels for hot baths, so you can warm up after a walk. And the lake is located not far from the famous Cappadocia routes, so it is logical to jump here by road.
Why is the lake interesting to scientists?
The bottom sediments of Naru lie in layers, like the annual rings of a tree, and preserve an annals of climate for about 14 thousand years. Pollen analysis even showed how the Arab invasions of the VIII-IX centuries undermined the agriculture of the region - not a lake, but a whole library of history.