Matka lake
| Matka lake | ||
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| Geographical location | Opština Saraj , North Macedonia | |
| Tributaries | Treska | |
| Drain | Treska | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 41 ° 57 '8 " N , 21 ° 17' 56" E | |
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The Matka lake is a reservoir west of the north Macedonian capital Skopje . It is located in the municipality of Saraj. The turquoise blue lake, surrounded by steep cliffs, is a popular destination for the residents of Skopje.
The lake was created in 1937 when an arch dam was built to use the Treska River to generate electricity for the city of Skopje.
The area around Lake Matka is rich in monasteries. On the lake itself is the church of Sveti Andrej, built in 1388/89 by Andrej, the second son of King Volkašin and brother of the later King Marko . The monasteries Sveti Nikola and Sveti Bogorodica, Sveti Spas, and Sveta Nedela in the surrounding hills can be reached on foot. On the shores of Lake Matka, there is also the Vrelo cave, which is considered the deepest freshwater cave in the world to be discovered. Despite several dives, the depth of the freshwater lake in the cave could not yet be determined - so far, a depth of over 200 meters has been reached.
