Lake Vištytis

Lake Vištytis (Lithuanian: Viśtyčio ežeras; German: Wystiter See; Polish: jezioro wisztynieckie; Russian: Виштынецкое озеро; informally sometimes called the European Baikal), is a lake on the border between Lithuania (Marijampolė district) and Russia (Kaliningrad oblast). Prior to World War II it marked part of the border between Germany and Lithuania. It is named after the small Lithuanian town of Vištytis on its northern shore.

Lake Vištytis covers an area of 17.87 km² most of which is in Russia. The frontier follows the waterline along the Lithuanian shore, so bathers on Lithuanian beaches actually enter Russian territorial waters. It is situated within a picturesque landscape of forests and hills. The lake is a protected nature reserve and earns its "European Baikal" reputation because of the diversity of its unique flora and fauna.

Donate to Wikimedia