The air is crisp and cool, the scent of pine needles hangs in the air. Lake Eymir, a haven of tranquility in the heart of Ankara, is surrounded by a man-made forest. It’s a place where the city’s cacophony fades away. The lake itself is a sight to behold, its surface reflecting the azure sky above. The water is a deep, shimmering blue, reflecting the sunlight.
It sits nestled in the heart of the Middle East Technical University Campus, a testament to a visionary project by Kemal Kurdaş, the university’s first rector, who, in the 1960s, launched a massive tree-planting project around the lake. Today, you can see a flourishing pine forest where once barren land stretched endlessly. This green haven is a monument to the university’s dedication to environmentalism. The project was so successful it received the 1995 Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the re-forestation work done on the campus, including the lake.
Lake Eymir’s story goes back even further. It’s named after a Turkmen tribe called Eymir, a fact discovered by the Ankara governorate in 1932. But there’s a hidden twist: the lake is actually an alluvial set lake, meaning it was formed by sediments deposited by a river. This was the work of the nearby Lake Mogan, which, during periods of heavy rainfall, overflowed and deposited sediment here. During a major flood in 1910, the two lakes merged, creating a temporary, expansive body of water.
The lake offers a unique blend of natural beauty and urban convenience. Visitors can stroll along the lakeshore, enjoy a picnic, or perhaps, even rent a boat and row across its serene expanse. The lake provides an escape from the bustling city, offering a much-needed dose of peace and quiet. While you’re here, keep your eyes peeled for the variety of bird species that call Lake Eymir home, some migratory and some local. The lake is a haven for birds, making it a haven for birdwatchers.