Lake Uluabat
Encyclopedia
Lake Uluabat is the name of a freshwater lake in the vicinity of Bursa, Turkey
. It is a large lake, covering an area of between 135 and 160 km² depending on the water level, but very shallow, being only 3 m deep at its deepest point. The lake contains eight islands and one other that is sometimes an island and sometimes a peninsula. The largest island is known as Halilbey Island. In the southwest the lake is fed by the Mustafakemalpaşa River
, which has formed a silty delta. Water leaves the lake by way of the Ulubat stream, flowing to the west, and reaches the Sea of Marmara
via the Susurluk River.
Most shores of the lake are covered in submerged plants, and it has the most extensive white water lily beds in Turkey
. Ulubat Lake is one of the breeding areas for the endangered Pygmy Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax Pygmeus). The latest DHKD (Society for the Protection of Nature Turkey) survey in June 1998 found 823 pairs of Pygmy Cormorant
s, 105 pairs of Night Heron
, 109 pairs of Squacco Heron
, and 48 pairs of Spoonbill
breeding on Ulubat.
The alternative name Lake Apolyont comes from the lake's classical name Apolloniatis, from Apollonia-on-the-Rhyndacum
(modern Gölyazı), an ancient Greek city situated on its banks which had considerable importance since it was on major trade routes.
Modern residential areas by its shores are Mustafakemalpaşa
(formerly Kirmasti) and Karacabey
(formerly Mikalick). The area was famous for centuries for its silkworm cultivation, but this industry has died out due to synthetic fabrics. The main industry today is fishing.
. The orthodox
monastery has received attention from scholars
because of its inscribed cross type with apses east and west.
Bursa, Turkey
Bursa is a city in northwestern Turkey and the seat of Bursa Province. The metropolitan area in the entire Bursa province had a population of 2.6 million as of 2010, making the city fourth most populous in Turkey. The city is equally one of the most industrialized metropolitan centers in the...
. It is a large lake, covering an area of between 135 and 160 km² depending on the water level, but very shallow, being only 3 m deep at its deepest point. The lake contains eight islands and one other that is sometimes an island and sometimes a peninsula. The largest island is known as Halilbey Island. In the southwest the lake is fed by the Mustafakemalpaşa River
Mustafakemalpaşa River
The Mustafakemalpasha River is a river in northwestern Anatolia in the Bursa Province of Turkey's Marmara Region. It is named for the city of Mustafakemalpaşa which lies near its delta onto Lake Uluabat.The Mustafakemalpasha was the classical Rhyndacus...
, which has formed a silty delta. Water leaves the lake by way of the Ulubat stream, flowing to the west, and reaches the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
via the Susurluk River.
Most shores of the lake are covered in submerged plants, and it has the most extensive white water lily beds in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Ulubat Lake is one of the breeding areas for the endangered Pygmy Cormorant
Pygmy Cormorant
The Pygmy Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It breeds in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. It is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south, mostly within in its breeding range...
(Phalacrocorax Pygmeus). The latest DHKD (Society for the Protection of Nature Turkey) survey in June 1998 found 823 pairs of Pygmy Cormorant
Pygmy Cormorant
The Pygmy Cormorant is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It breeds in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. It is partially migratory, with northern populations wintering further south, mostly within in its breeding range...
s, 105 pairs of Night Heron
Night heron
The night herons are medium-sized herons in the genera Nycticorax, Nyctanassa and Gorsachius. The genus name Nycticorax derives from the Greek for “night raven” and refers to the largely nocturnal feeding habits of this group of birds, and the croaking crow-like call of the best known species, the...
, 109 pairs of Squacco Heron
Squacco Heron
The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a small heron, long, of which the body is , with wingspan. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.-Behaviour:...
, and 48 pairs of Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbills are a group of large, long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes the Ibises.All have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side...
breeding on Ulubat.
The alternative name Lake Apolyont comes from the lake's classical name Apolloniatis, from Apollonia-on-the-Rhyndacum
Apollonia ad Rhyndacum
Apollonia or Apollonia-on-the-Rhyndacus was an ancient town near the Rhyndacus river in northwestern Anatolia. Strabo placed it in Mysia, causing some to misidentify the site as Uluabat on the western shore of Lake Uluabat. However, the site is actually the promontory tombolo on the northeastern...
(modern Gölyazı), an ancient Greek city situated on its banks which had considerable importance since it was on major trade routes.
Modern residential areas by its shores are Mustafakemalpaşa
Mustafakemalpasa
Mustafakemalpaşa is the main town of Bursa Province in the Marmara region of Turkey.-History:The ancient Hittite name of the county was Kirmasti Kremastre, under the Kingdom of Bithynia. Around 300AD the town became important when a Christian Bishop made this his regional centre...
(formerly Kirmasti) and Karacabey
Karacabey
For the horse breed, see Karacabey .Karacabey is a town and district of Bursa Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. It is located just west of the Simav River near its confluence with the ....
(formerly Mikalick). The area was famous for centuries for its silkworm cultivation, but this industry has died out due to synthetic fabrics. The main industry today is fishing.
Saint Constantine
St. Constantine is a small island inside the lake. During the Byzantine era, there was a monastery of St. Constantine on the island. Today the island is uninhabited, but the monastery has survived Ottoman conquest of Asia MinorAsia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
. The orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
monastery has received attention from scholars
because of its inscribed cross type with apses east and west.