The place with the purest water in Romania is in Transylvania! Many locals say that the waters have miraculous properties – PHOTO

Many legends and superstitions are connected to the only lake formed in an extinct volcanic crater in Romania

Lake Sfânta Ana in Harghita county is located in the Ciomatu massif on the left side of the Olt river, near the Tușnad resort.

The lake, known for its rare beauty and water clarity, is located at the bottom of the crater of an extinct volcano, named Ciomatu Mare from the Puciosu volcanic massif. The colors vary according to the light and the season, from shades of dark blue to emerald green.

It stretches over a length of 620 m and a width of 460 m, with a depth of about 7 m. Lake Sfânta Ana has the purest waters. The purity of the water is close to that of distilled water, with very few minerals.

Many legends are connected to the wonderful lake, most of which refer to its name.

The most popular of them describes the story of a girl named Ana, forced to marry a boy she did not love. Driven by desperation, the girl would have jumped into the waters of the lake. Since then the locals would have baptized the place in her memory.

Although bathing is prohibited, the locals claim that the water has miraculous properties and that simply immersing your hands in the lake would bring protection from evil for a year.

Photo: Ildiko Simon/ Alex Bodor/ Marian Cătălin