Lake Marmisho

🧭What kind of place is it?

Marmisho lies near the border between Iran and Turkey, and the way there passes through the villages of Pasan, Bani and Halani. The water has collected behind a natural dam formed by the landslide. The size and depth of the lake change with silt and floods, so don't expect the same view in every season.

🏛️What was it built for?

Looking at the water and the trees around it is the main reason to stop by the lake. By the shore you can watch the colours change and the trees reflected without stepping onto the fragile parts of the bank. A natural setting doesn't mean the path suits every level of fitness.

👀What you will see

• Take in the sheet of water among the heights; the lake formed behind a natural dam left by the landslide.
• Poplar, oak and walnut are part of the plant life around it, and their leaves and shapes differ from one another.
• The shores are where the slope meets the water; a change in the water level can shift that line.

💡Something interesting

The lake's name is thought to come from Mar Shimun Benyamin, a leader of the Assyrian Christians of Urmia. Behind this natural name lies a piece of the region's human history too.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Before you set off, ask local officials about the road and access permission, and plan to be back before dark.
• Don't stand on loose banks, and don't go into the lake without knowing its depth and currents.