Lake Asveja
Encyclopedia
Lake Asveja or Dubingiai Lake ( or ) is the longest lake in Lithuania
(length: 21.9 km or 29.7 km counting the Žalktynė, Vyriogala and Dubingiai bights). It covers 9.78 km² area and reaches a depth of 50.2m which makes it the third deepest lake in Lithuania. It lies partly in Molėtai district, Švenčionys district and Vilnius district. The alternative name comes from the historical Dubingiai Castle
, constructed on the former island, and the small town of Dubingiai
situated on the lake. The town is a popular tourist destination. Žeimena River flows through the lake and people rent boats or kayaks to go down the river to the Neris
River.
The lake formed when water flowed under the melting icecaps during the last glacial period
. Such lakes are similar to rivers: they are long, narrow (the greatest width of Asveja is only 880 m.), and deep. Other such lakes in Lithuania include Tauragnas
, Sartai
, and Aisetas. In 1992 Asveja Regional Park
was established to protect the ecosystem and landscape.
One of the curiosities is a wooden bridge across the lake. It was built in 1934 and is still in use. President Antanas Smetona
participated in the opening of the first bridge across a lake in Lithuania. The bridge is 84 m in length; the lake is up to 15 m in depth at that point.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
(length: 21.9 km or 29.7 km counting the Žalktynė, Vyriogala and Dubingiai bights). It covers 9.78 km² area and reaches a depth of 50.2m which makes it the third deepest lake in Lithuania. It lies partly in Molėtai district, Švenčionys district and Vilnius district. The alternative name comes from the historical Dubingiai Castle
Dubingiai Castle
Dubingiai Castle was a residential castle in Dubingiai, Molėtai district, Lithuania.The first masonry castle was constructed by Vytautas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, in 1412-1413 on an island, now a peninsula, in Lake Asveja in order to secure the capital Vilnius from attacks from Livonia. No accounts...
, constructed on the former island, and the small town of Dubingiai
Dubingiai
Dubingiai is a town in Molėtai district in Lithuania. It is situated near Lake Asveja, the longest lake in the country. The town has 260 inhabitants as of 2003.-History:...
situated on the lake. The town is a popular tourist destination. Žeimena River flows through the lake and people rent boats or kayaks to go down the river to the Neris
Neris
Neris is a river rising in Belarus, flowing through Vilnius and becoming a tributary of the Neman River at Kaunas...
River.
The lake formed when water flowed under the melting icecaps during the last glacial period
Wisconsin glaciation
The last glacial period was the most recent glacial period within the current ice age occurring during the last years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago....
. Such lakes are similar to rivers: they are long, narrow (the greatest width of Asveja is only 880 m.), and deep. Other such lakes in Lithuania include Tauragnas
Lake Tauragnas
Tauragnas is the deepest lake in Lithuania reaching 60.5 metres of depth. The surface area is 5.13 km² and average depth 18.7 m. It is situated in Aukštaitija National Park near Tauragnai in Utena County....
, Sartai
Lake Sartai
Lake Sartai is located in Rokiškis and Zarasai municipalities, northeastern Lithuania. The lake's 79 km shoreline is the longest in Lithuania. There are six islands in the lake. River Šventoji flows through it....
, and Aisetas. In 1992 Asveja Regional Park
Asveja Regional Park
Asveja Regional Park, established in 1992, covers 11,589 hectares in east-central Lithuania near the town of Dubingiai. It protects a glacial landscape that includes 30 lakes. Wetlands comprise about 8% of its territory....
was established to protect the ecosystem and landscape.
One of the curiosities is a wooden bridge across the lake. It was built in 1934 and is still in use. President Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona was one of the most important Lithuanian political figures between World War I and World War II. He served as the first President of Lithuania from April 4, 1919 to June 19, 1920. He again served as the last President of the country from December 19, 1926 to June 15, 1940, before...
participated in the opening of the first bridge across a lake in Lithuania. The bridge is 84 m in length; the lake is up to 15 m in depth at that point.