Nar
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.
