TEHRAN –A clean-up project is planned to be commenced on Lake Ahanak in Firouzkuh, Tehran province, the deputy provincial tourism chief has said. 

The depth of the lake will be cleaned of garbage by a team of voluntary divers, IRNA quoted Ali Rafiei as saying on Saturday. 

The project is aimed to help develop and promote sustainable tourism on the one hand, and to help preserve nature, on the other hand, the official added. 

The fauna and flora of this natural attraction will be preserved by cleaning the lake, he noted. 

Lake Ahanak includes two twin ponds that are always full of water. Water from the lake is derived from the melting of snow at the heights of the region, and it is extremely transparent and clear.

Due to sulfur in the lake water, the lake water is not suitable for drinking and has a bitter taste. Its bottom is composed of very soft and light sand and mud, and its reeds, which have grown to about three meters high, have given it a beautiful appearance. The majority of trees around the lake are pine trees; however, there are some willow trees a little further away.

The first time Tehran is mentioned in historical accounts is in an 11th-century chronicle in which it is described as a small village north of Ray.

Ray, in which signs of settlement date from 6000 BC, is often considered to be Tehran’s predecessor. It became the capital city of the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century but later declined with factional strife between different neighborhoods and the Mongol invasion of 1220.

Tehran has many to offer its visitors including Golestan Palace, Grand Bazaar, Treasury of National Jewels, National Museum of Iran, Glass & Ceramic Museum, Masoudieh Palace, Sarkis Cathedral, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, and Carpet Museum of Iran, to name a few.

ABU/AFM