Lake Efteni

Efteni Lake, located on the borders of Düzce province, within the districts of Merkez and Gölyaka, is a tectonic formation, freshwater lake. It lies 10 km southwest of Düzce center and 2 km east of Gölyaka center. In the surrounding area of 76 hectares, the Efteni Lake Wildlife Development Area was established in 2005.

In 1992 it was placed under protection by the Ministry of Forestry, and hunting was prohibited. The lake, the lowest point of the Düzce plain, collects its surrounding waters. The Small Melen River, which originates from the east of Düzce, flows into the lake. The Aksu, Asar and Uğur streams coming from the surroundings also flow into Efteni Lake. All the converging waters exit the lake as the Büyük Melen River. In its lower course it forms the Düzce‑Sakarya provincial border and empties into the Black Sea at Melenağzı village. Drinking water will be sent to Istanbul from the Melen Dam to be built on the Melen River, as part of the Melen project.

In the past the lake covered 814 hectares; it was drained in 1976 and reduced to 25 hectares. In 1992 a dam was built, enlarging it to 158 hectares, giving it its present size. On the southern shore of the lake, in Hacıyakup village, thermal water emerges at 43 °C.

Around the lake, 105 terrestrial, semi‑aquatic and aquatic plant species have been identified, both herbaceous and woody. Of the 175 bird species present in the area, 123 are listed on the IUCN Red List. Eleven fish, two amphibian, six reptile, nine mammal and fourteen invertebrate species live around the lake. Observations made during the 2023‑2024 winter season recorded 2,111 water birds belonging to 22 species. In these observations the white‑tailed eagle was observed in the region for the first time.

In the 1918 records the lake area is 6700 hectares, according to 1944 aerial photographs it is 1930 hectares. After 1950 settlement increased, and the lake began to be drained for agriculture and livestock purposes. In 1960, of the 900 hectares drained, 448 hectares of lake and 814 hectares of wetland remained. In the 1970s, drainage channels opened and the lake area fell to 25 hectares. In 1993 a dike 2500 m long and in 2001 a dike 3000 m long were built, converting 180 hectares. Depending on the season the lake area varies between 80 and 150 hectares. On the lake shore there are four observation towers and one fishing pier.

Origin of the name of Lake Efteni and legends related to the emergence of Lake Efteni

“The Legend of Lake Efteni” is a legend concerning Lake Efteni, which is located on the border of Düzce Province, Gölyaka District. In the legend of Lake Efteni, two separate legends are told about the lake’s name and its formation.

Legend of the Name of Lake Efteni

It is said that Lake Efteni got its name from a Byzantine princess named Eftelya. According to the story, the Byzantine army, returning from war, lodged in an area on the lake shore. On the way the Byzantine Princess Eftelya acquired wounds on her hands and face. The princess’s wounds, washed at the lake shore, began to heal and her skin to become beautiful the next morning. Seeing this, the Byzantine Emperor ordered a bathhouse to be built at the place of the hot springs on the lake shore. They left the princess Eftelya’s caretakers and departed.

The princess, whose wounds healed and became beautiful, fell in love with an Ottoman youth living on the mountain slopes on the opposite shore while walking on the lake. The Byzantine princess and the young Ottoman man began to visit each other. Then one day, while the princess Eftelya was going to her lover, her boat sank in the lake and she drowned. From that day they called the lake “Efteni”.

Efteni Lake Formation Legend

There are different accounts regarding the formation of Efteni Lake.

These are:

At some time the greatest of the Olympian gods, Zeus, wanted to descend among mortals and see their condition. He took Hermes with him and they came down to earth and knocked on a house door. “Two strange strangers who have lost their way, will you open the door?” they said. But the door was not only unopened, it was not even ajar. In this way they wandered through a thousand houses but received no attention from anyone. Either they did not open the door or, even if they did, they would close it saying “We have no business with beggars without a sack whose identity we do not know.” Rejected from everywhere, Zeus and Hermes finally came to a ruined hut. Every side of this hut was covered with reeds and straw. The door they knocked on was opened by an old woman. In front of her two poor travelers were tired and thirsty. The old woman, without asking who they were, invited the two travelers inside. When they entered, they saw a smiling old man. The hosts offered whatever they had in their hands to the guests. The old woman and man were very happy with this visit. However, the elders noticed that the food on the table never diminished and always remained the same. Noticing this, the guests said “We are great persons. Your other neighbors will be punished with the penalty they deserve, but no harm will come to you; leave your house and come with us to the top of the mountain.” Though it was difficult, when they reached the summit the old couple saw that their village had been submerged.

Another tradition states that the Byzantine king had a daughter who was to swim, so a dam was built in front of the Melen River and the lake formed when water filled this place.

At one time the place where this lake is located was a village. Hızır's path once fell upon the village. He knocked on a door and asked the woman who answered for a piece of bread. The woman was already a bad person. She said “No!” and did not give Hızır any bread. Hızır will certainly not starve, nor is he in need of his own bread. But this is a test! When Hızır left the village he prayed: “May Allah leave this village to the water.” Over time the place of the village filled with water and the present Efteni Lake was formed.

It is said that today those who still go fishing on the lake sometimes have a mosque minaret attached to their nets, and at times the reflections of the mosque minaret’s light can be seen on the lake.