Zsámbék-Medence

This 400 square-meter natural lake fed from tap water and springs is a locally protected territory.

The hydrological values of the territory in the Zsámbék Basin includes just two natural lakes: one is Garancsi Lake between Tinnye and Piliscsaba, well-known from the film “Glass Tiger”, and the other is Sasfészek Lake stretching to the north of Biatorbágy, between Sasfészek path and Malom path. The latter is one of the few water habitats where herons and gray herons still live relatively undisturbed and in fact the lake is also visited by otters. This used to be a favorite rest area for locals in Páty, who often came here to fish, bathe, or just enjoy the scenery. The wild environment has also inspired film directors: it was used as the backdrop to the movie based on Émile Zola’s world-famous novel and was the shooting location for Germinal, using extras from Páty, in 1962. Over the past half century the idea of the lake drying out has arisen many times, and territories of various size have separated off on several occasions.

At the initiative of the Zsámbék Basin Landscape Protection Association a natural protection management plan was drafted to save the lake.

SASFÉSZEK (EAGLE’S NEST) LAKE

Address: Páty, Külterület 1.

GPS: 47.304934, 18.50467