Skadar Lake
Lake Skadar is one of the largest lakes in the Balkans, located in Montenegro and Albania. The lake area is 390 km2, but during the winter floods it increases to 530 km2. In 1983, the lake was declared a national park.
The national park has a rich flora and fauna. There are at least 26 species of birds alone, of which you can often find: cormorants, gulls, herons, pelicans, black ibises. Up to 200,000 birds flock here for the winter. Due to the clear water surface, there are 40 species of fish in the lake: bleak, carp, podust, salmon, rudd, mullet, roach.
Sights of Skadar Lake
On the islands of Starchevo, Beshka and Morachnik, the Balshichi dynasty built churches with tombs in the 14th and 15th centuries. The oldest of them is in Starchevo (1376-1378), on the island of Beshka there is the tomb of Yuri Balshich and his wife Elena, on the island of Vranjina there is an architectural complex built by the Chernoevichi. The Orthodox monastery on the island of Vranina, founded with the direct blessing of the Serbian Archbishop St. Sava, who placed his closest disciple Hilarion at the head of the new monastery. By the time this monastery was built, the Serbian Orthodox Church had gained independence, and Hilarion became the first Zeta bishop. After his death, he will be buried in this monastery. Some monasteries have survived to our time and can be visited. In addition to churches and monasteries, travelers are attracted by the ruins of ancient fortresses built during the war with the Turks: the fortress of Lesendro, Grmozhur, as well as the ruins of the ancient capital Zabljak.
Mostly people go to Skadar Lake from the nearest resort towns for a change of scenery. You can find an excursion to the lake in almost any corner of Montenegro. Usually, all excursions in Skadar Lake start from the village of Virpazar, which was founded back in 1242. Previously, the village was the most important shopping center, as it was located at the confluence of 2 rivers. Later, a road from the Bar was built here, and then the railway tracks were brought in. Thus, Virpazar became the first postal station in Montenegro. At the moment, Virpazar is a small town with the ruins of the Besac fortress, brick houses, a couple of hotels and restaurants that prepare fish freshly caught from Skadar Lake. The population lives off agriculture, fishing, and I also provide various tourist services.
Many tourists think that Skadar Lake is very picturesque, but this is not entirely true. Almost the entire coast of the lake is swampy, and the mountains, although beautiful, are low in height, and the lake itself is only 5 meters above the water level. To admire the mountain ranges, you should go to Lovcen.
