Crete tourist guide

Lake Voulismeni in Agios Nikolaos

2024-05-12 20:39:53

Lake Voulismeni located in Agios Nikolaos is the true heart and showcase of this small city. Immortalized in thousands of photos by enchanted tourists, it is a small, charming oasis that offers a respite from the typical urban infrastructure. The taverns located around it are bustling with life until late at night in the summer. The charm of the lake is complemented by eagerly repeated stories and various myths.

Bottomless lake

Voulismeni was initially a freshwater lake, but in 1867 construction of a canal began to connect the lake with the sea. The lake has a diameter of 137 meters, and its depth has been a matter of debate for quite a long time. There was a legend about Voulismeni that it was a bottomless lake. Apparently, during World War II, when the German army was leaving Crete, military equipment was thrown into the lake, which was never found. However, it is currently known that the lake has a bottom at a depth of 64 meters.

Goddesses and volcanoes

Ancient myths say that the goddesses Athena and Britomartis, the Cretan equivalent of the goddess Artemis, bathed in the waters of Lake Voulismeni. The lake itself was considered a sacred place filled with feminine energy.

In the past, it was also believed that the lake was somehow related to the volcano on the island of Santorini. Apparently, after its eruption, which destroyed the island, the surface of Lake Voulismeni was filled with dead fish and a strong smell of sulfur was felt.

There is also a popular theory that Voulismeni was formed as a result of volcanic subsidence. This theory is confirmed by vertical reddish walls resembling a volcanic crater.

Contemporary scene

Nowadays, the lake is a place of various cultural events such as concerts, shows and sports competitions. Cliff Diving competitions have been organized here several times, i.e. jumping into the water from a platform installed at a height of about 20 meters. This competition is part of the world championships in this discipline, and competitors from many countries come to the three-day event.

An effigy of Judas is also burned on Lake Voulismeni every year on Easter. Even during this year's holidays, when this traditional spectacle was banned on the island due to the high fire risk, in Agios Judas was traditionally burned in the middle of the lake.

Gosia,  2024-05-12 20:39:53

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