Lake Eymir

Lake Eymir is just 20 km from the city center, in the town of Ankara Golbasi. The surface area of Lake Eymir is 108.8 Hectare (1.09 km²), the average depth is 3.80 m. The deepest place during the dry period is 5.5 meters and the average water depth reaches 5 meters during the highest period.

Away from business, traffic and the hustle and bustle of the big city, this is the place to be found as a getaway to enjoy nature and tranquility. It is certainly not a place acknowledged by tourists who love the bustle.

The lake is part of a natural park; Its circumference is 10km and visitors usually walk, jog or cycle with a rented bicycle at the entrance of the park. There are several picnik areas along the lake. There is also a historic building turned into a restaurant with a fireplace for the winter and a wonderful garden by the lake with tables and chairs to enjoy the sunny days outside.

Lake Eymir is a lake located within the provincial boundaries of Ankara, on the grounds of the Middle East Technical University (METU). The name "Eymir" has become synonymous with METU. The "Eymir Cultural Foundation", founded in 1986 by METU graduates, is named after it.

The 10.5km path around the lake is Ankara's closest outdoor destination, perfect for walking, jogging or cycling. For riders who want to cycle, bicycles can be rented on site while hikers who want to go deeper into nature can cross different walking trails into the forest. The south side of the lake is full of restaurants and cafes, which are popular with locals for a long and relaxing weekend breakfast.

As noted in travel guidebooks of the 1930s, Nahid Sırrı said that the area around Lake Örik was completely arid and devoid of trees. The land area of 45 square kilometers is allocated to METU - Middle East Technical University, established under the special zone law of 1956, including Lake Eymir. With the special efforts of METU principal Kemal Kurdaş in the 60s, all this land and the vicinity of Lake Eymir were reforested and turned into green trees in the middle of the steppe. In 1995, Kemal Kurdaş and METU's director of afforestation, Alattin Egemen, were awarded the Aga Khan Prize for Architecture for the Aga Khan Prize for Architecture.

Lake Eymir is covered with intensive vineyards, farmland, wetland grasslands in the south and about 160 species of birds, the most common birds being sakarmeke, mallard, elmabaş patka and bahrid.

At Lake Eymir, activities such as boating and water sports, fishing (with a fishing rod) and picnicking can be done, even in the dry season. On sunny weekends, the lakeside area can be crowded with locals picnicking, but on weekdays it's much more peaceful.