The Old Lake
Today,
the lake's attribute "old" means: ancient or antique. However, centuries
ago this Hungarian word meant: large- and in this sense the attribute perfectly
suits the 541 acre surface of water surrounded by forests.
Tata's
lake is the largest sheet of water in the region and although its present
extent is due to artifical damming up, this fact favourably affected the
surroundings. The still existing wetlands at "the tail of the lake", the
forests on the Tata lake shore, the promenades and villas on the Tóváros-side,
the bastions of the fortress are still among the town's treasures.
Besides
the aesthetic values the lake has two other functions. Its economic function
has changed a lot during the past few centuries: for a long time the fishery
would serve as a basis for the Esterházy domain. In our time, the lake
is a tourist centre.
The
most important function of the water is the biological one. There is no
other lake with a town on its shore in our continent where tens of thousands
of wild-geese and other migratory birds can find shelter, temporary home
in autumn and winter.
In
these seasons, the noisy flight of these geese makes the hazy dawns particularly
appealing.
