One of the most unusual sights in Turkey is once again attracting the visitors’ attention – the heart-shaped lake in the Ezine district near Çanakkale is pink once again.
The change of color is a result of a natural process linked to the micro-organism Dunaliella salina – pink algae, which under certain circumstances gives the water its characteristic color.
It is located in the inner harbor of the ancient city of Alexandria Troas, near the coast of Dalyan village. The lake’s water turns into terracotta (reddish-brown) and pink colors at certain times of the year.
The lake, locally known as the “Pink Lake” or the “Heart-Shaped Lake,” turned pink once again in July. The color change in the lake occurred later than usual due to the last month’s heaviest rainfall in the last 13 years.
Pink and reddish shades, caused by the excessive reproduction of the microscopic organism “Dunaliella salina” due to increased temperature and salinity, give the lake a unique look.
Depending on the water levels rise and fall, the lake sometimes takes on a heart shape during the summer months.
The lake, which takes on shades close to pink, especially in September, is mostly yellow-brown in November and December, but on some days, it can become pink again due to temperature changes.
