The largest thermal lake in the world is discovered in Leskovik
2025-02-07 10:53:54
TiranaPost
A team of Czech scientists have discovered the world's largest underground thermal lake in southern Albania and named it Lake Neuron, in the Sarandapori spa area in Leskovik, Korça. This area is located where the Gjirokastra and Korça regions are divided, while the lake was named after the foundation that financed the expedition and discovered it.
Within the valleys of the mountainous border areas between Greece and Albania, Czech scientists have been exploring the complex underground situation for several years. In the Vromoner region, on the Albanian side of the border, they discovered an extensive cave system in 2021, which they have since explored in detail.
The system contained many heat sources that emitted tall columns of steam. Tracing the source of the steam led them to find a chasm over a hundred meters deep, which they named Atmos.
At the bottom of that abyss was discovered the lake, which the discovery team confirmed as the largest underground thermal lake in the world to date. With a length of 138 m, a width of 42 m and a circumference of 345 m, it can hold 8,335 m3 of hot water. In a comparison for those who have visited the Czech Republic, the size of the lake's space is three times larger than the main hall of the National Theatre in Prague.
Mapping the cave system and discovering the lake required technical equipment, which was made possible by the Neuron Foundation. The Czech science funding organization provided the expedition with nearly a million crowns (or over 39,000 euros), donated by private donors, and now the Albanian underground lake has been named Neuron, in honor of the foundation.
