Śniardwy, Glacial lake in the Great Masurian Lakes region, Poland
Lake Śniardwy covers an area of 113.4 square kilometers with a maximum depth of 23.4 meters and features numerous shallow areas filled with unmarked boulders beneath the surface.
This glacial lake formed during the last ice age and served as a site for pagan worship in prehistoric times before becoming a major destination for fishing and tourism over the centuries.
Local folklore tells of a petrified maiden imprisoned by the Prussian water god Perkunos, who can only be freed by a young man who picks a fern flower on Midsummer Night and offers it to her.
Visitors can reach the lake from nearby towns like Mikołajki and Ruciane-Nida, which offer several ports, camping grounds, and recreational centers with equipment rental services for water activities.
In 2007, a weather phenomenon known as a white squall with winds reaching 130 kilometers per hour caused numerous boats to capsize and resulted in twelve fatalities on the lake.
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