Syri i Kaltër | |
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IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)
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View of the Blue Eye
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Location | Vlorë County |
Nearest city | Delvinë, Sarandë |
Area | 1.8 km2 (0.69 sq mi) |
Designation | Natural Monument |
Established | 1996 |
Governing body | Ministry of Environment |
The Blue Eye (Albanian: Syri i Kaltër, Greek: Γαλάζιο Μάτι) is a water spring and natural phenomenon occurring near Muzinë in Vlorë County, southern Albania. A popular tourist attraction, the clear blue water of the river bubbles forth from a stunning, more than fifty-metre-deep pool. Divers have descended to fifty metres, but it is still unclear what the actual depth of the karst hole is.
This is the initial water source of Bistricë river , 25 km long, which ends in the Ionian Sea south of Sarandë.
The source stands at an altitude of 152 m and has a discharge rate of 18400 l/s.
The immediate area 1.8 km2 (0.69 sq mi) is a Nature Monument and is characterized by oak and sycamore trees. In summer 2004, the source was temporarily dried up.
Coordinates: 39°55′25″N 20°11′34″E / 39.923611°N 20.192778°E