Lake Eye Tyrnavos

Lake Eye Tyrnavos, this small lake also known as "Mati Argyropouliou" or "Lake Argyropouliou," lies just a few kilometers from the village of the same name (whose old Turkish moniker was "Karatzol" - Kara Göl, meaning "black lake"). Alongside Vrysi, it constitutes the twin lakes of the Municipality of Tyrnavos.

The lake is fed by springs nestled in the foothills of Mount Melouna, and in turn, it nourishes a river that eventually merges with the great Pineios River near the village of Rodia. In antiquity, this river bore the name Europos, meaning "Wide-Eyed" or "Large-Eyed," a fact that might offer a clue to the lake's present-day name, "Mati" (Eye).

In recent decades, particularly following periods of severe drought like those in 1992 and 2005 when the lake nearly dried up completely, its surface area has noticeably diminished. Nevertheless, it persists as a vital wetland habitat, rich in flora (plane trees, poplars, willows, reeds) and home to a diverse array of birds, fish, eels, crayfish, and even elusive otters (vydres). In bygone eras, the populations of fish, eels, and crayfish were far more abundant – so much so that crayfish were even exported from here to France!

On the lake's western shore, a recreation area has been developed, though sadly, it appears somewhat neglected today. Nearby, one can still find remnants of traditional water-powered technology: a dristella (water mill used for washing textiles) and a mantani (a fulling mill mechanism).

The region stretching between Lake Mati and the village of Deleria served as the backdrop for one of the most significant battles of the ill-fated Greco-Turkish War of 1897. The fierce engagement, which took place on April 23rd, garnered extensive journalistic coverage from major international media outlets of the time.