Lake Kournas: The Unic Freshwater Lake in Crete
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Lake Kournas is the only natural freshwater lake on the island of Crete. In antiquity, it was referred to by Stephanus of Byzantium as Korisia , and according to tradition, the area once hosted an ancient temple dedicated either to Korisia Athena or to Hippus and Kore . These names are believed to have given rise to the ancient toponym Hippokorona , which, over the centuries, gradually evolved into the modern form Apokoronas . The renaming of the lake from Korissia to Kournas is attributed to the period of Arab rule in Crete. The origin of the current name remains unclear. According to one theory, it derives from an Arabic word meaning "lake" or "basin" , while another suggests it is a corruption of the Greek word krounos (meaning "spring" or "fountain"). Location and Description The lake is located in the eastern part of Chania prefecture , near the border with the Rethymno region, within the municipality of Apokoronas , app...