The "Blue Eye" (Albanian: Syri i Kaltër) is a water spring and natural phenomenon occurring in the village of Muzinë in Finiq municipality, southern Albania.[3] A popular tourist attraction, the clear blue water of the river can be seen from a depth of more than fifty metres. Divers have descended to fifty metres, but it is still unclear what the actual depth of the karst hole is.[4]
| Blue Eye | |
|---|---|
| Syri i Kaltër | |
 View of the Blue Eye | |
  A map showing the location of the Blue Eye | |
| Location | Muzinë, Finiq, Vlorë County |
| Nearest city | Delvinë, Sarandë |
| Area | 1.8[1][2] |
| Designation | Natural Monument |
| Designated | 1996 |
| Governing body | Ministry of Environment |
This phenomenon is also known as "springs of Bistricë" as it is the initial water source of Bistricë river, 25 km long, which ends in the Ionian Sea south of Sarandë.[5] The source stands at an altitude of 152 m and has a discharge rate of 18400 L/s.[6]
The immediate area 1.8 km2 (0.69 sq mi) is a Nature Monument and is characterized by oak and sycamore trees.[7] In summer 2004, the source was temporarily dried up.
In the summer of 2017 part of the location was burnt by wildfire.[8]
The protected area of Blue Eye has been designated as a natural monument which covers an area of 180 ha.[9]
The Blue Eye is located slightly west of the village of Muzinë, but it can be reached by car reaching the Saranda-Gjirokaster road from the village of Krongj.[10]
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See also
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- ^ "Syri I Kalter in Albania". protectedplanet.net.
- ^ "Vlerësimi Strategjik Mjedisor për Planin e Integruar Ndersektorial te Bregdetit" (PDF). planifikimi.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 44. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-28. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
- ^ "The Blue Eye of Albania". Into Albania. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
- ^ Gillian Gloyer (2008). Albania: The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 196–. ISBN 978-1-84162-246-0.
- ^ Tom Masters (2007). Eastern Europe. Lonely Planet. pp. 67–. ISBN 978-1-74104-476-8.
- ^ Andrzej J. Witkowski; Andrzej Kowalczyk; Jaroslav Vrba (August 24, 2007). Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment and Mapping: IAH-Selected Papers. IAH - Selected Papers on Hydrogeology. Vol. 11. Taylor & Francis. p. 203. ISBN 978-0415445610. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
- ^ "PËRSHKRIMI I RRJETIT AKTUAL TË ZONAVE TË MBROJTURA" (PDF). mjedisi.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-29. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- ^ "Αλβανία: Σε πύρινο κλοιό χωριά της ελληνικής μειονότητας [Albania: Villages of the Greek minority in danger". Capital.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "Blue Eye: Natural Monument" (PDF). akzm.gov.al. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ "Blue Eye - Syri i kalter". tdm.les-ombres.net. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
