The Lake RÄ—kyva () is a
lake
A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...
on the southern edge of the city of
Å iauliai
Å iauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...
in
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
.
The lake is named after RÄ—kyva, which is a southern part of the city of Å iauliai.
The lake's western and south-western shores are declared the RÄ—kyva Botanical Zoological Reserve.
It is one of the largest
lakes in Lithuania (10th) and the largest
watershed
Watershed may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage)
Music
* Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...
lake in Lithuania.
The lake is popular among
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
,
kiteboarding
Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, snow, sand, or other surface. It combines the aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snow ...
and
windsurfing
Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...
enthusiasts, and by other visitors for recreational purposes as it has sandy beaches and a
pier
A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piling, piles or column, pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, b ...
.
The Lithuanian holiday
JoninÄ—s
Saint Jonas' Festival, also known as ''Rasos'' (''Dew Holiday''), ''JoninÄ—s'', ''KupolÄ—'', Midsummer Day or Saint John's Day) is a midsummer folk festival celebrated on 24 June all around Lithuania. The celebrations often involve flower wreat ...
is celebrated annually near the lake.
Moreover, two
yacht
A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...
clubs are located on the shores of the lake.
References
File:RÄ—kyva1840.jpg, The lake as depicted in a map dating to 1840
File:RÄ—kyvos ezeras.jpg, Aerial view of the lake
File:Rekyvos ezeras ir tiltas 2012.jpg, Pier of the lake
File:Rekyvos ezeras su aitvarais.jpg, Kiteboarding on the lake
References
{{commons category, RÄ—kyva Lake
Rekyva
Tourist attractions in Å iauliai County