"Bloody" Lake in Cyprus
A creepy landmark of Cyprus (and not the only one!), which few people know about, is directly related to the name of the island.
The fact is that the name Cyprus comes from the word cuprum — copper. And there are many abandoned mines on the island where this metal has been mined for thousands of years.
Mathiatis Lake in Cyprus
One of the former mining sites is Mathiatis. Around this village, there are several closed mines where copper was mined. And all of them are filled with reddish water after the rains. But one of them stands out in color — this is South Mathiatis, or the Stroggylos mine, which dates back to 600 BC.
The Mathiatis mines are part of the World Cultural Heritage, as evidenced by the fact that one of them, the southern one, was nominated as a UNESCO monument. The importance of the mines is also demonstrated by the archaeological excavations that are periodically conducted on their territory, leading to the discovery of rare and unique finds for the entire Eastern Mediterranean, as well as geological studies carried out by students from various foreign universities.
How to find Mathiatis Lake
It is quite easy to get lost here. The thing is, there are several locations around the village of Mathiatis with the same name. Besides the lake we are interested in, there is also a quarry to the north of the village Mathiatis Mine and Sha Mine Lake — to the east.
South Mathiatis, or Stroggylos, is located just behind the Exoklisi church, at these coordinates: 34.95021099133305, 33.346304381996546. The location on the map can also be found at the end of the article below the text.
From the dirt road, you will need to walk down to the lake. The village and the lake itself can only be reached by car. Renting a car in Cyprus is not a problem, and we recommend using search aggregators like Localrent or Discover Cars, where you can find options starting from 10 euros per day. Any car will do for this location; there is no special off-roading involved.
Frequently Asked Questions about Copper Lakes in Cyprus
What other "bloody" lakes are there in Cyprus?
Besides the ones around Mathiatis, there is also Mitsero Lake near the village of the same name. Here is its location. It was also formed due to copper mining.
Can you swim in the "bloody" lake?
It’s not fatal, but it certainly isn’t good for your health, and skin problems are guaranteed — the waters of former copper mines contain impurities that are harmful to humans and other living beings. So we don’t recommend coming into contact with the water, it’s better to admire the beauty from a distance.
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Author
Born and raised in Yekaterinburg, visited more than 40 countries, lived in the USA for some time, and in 2022, moved to Northern Cyprus. Education: Ural State University (now Ural Federal University), Faculty of Political Science and Sociology. Professional Experience: Since 2008, worked in the…