Lake Küçükçekmece

Kuecuekcekmece Lake is a brackish lagoon of about 16 square kilometres on the European side of the Istanbul metropolitan area, separated from the Sea of Marmara by a narrow sandbar. The lake is designated an Important Bird Area and serves as a resting place for migratory species between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, with recorded sightings of Dalmatian pelican, spoonbill and white-tailed eagle. On its northern shore lie the remains of the ancient city of Bathonea, where excavations since 2007 have uncovered Byzantine port structures and Roman cisterns. The shoreline has been encircled in recent decades by fast-growing districts such as Avcilar and Kuecuekcekmece, and untreated wastewater has compromised water quality. Even so the lake remains an accessible green breathing space in western Istanbul for walkers and birdwatchers.