Lake Naplás and its surroundings on the eastern outskirts of Budapest, with romantic woods, streams, fields, turtles and frogs, have been somewhat of a mystery to the outside world. Only residents of distant districts XVI and XVII would come here to relax. In recent years, however, the area has undergone serious rehabilitation, the latest feature being a 22-metre-high lookout tower.
One of the key objectives of Pilis Parkerdő, the
body responsible for many of the natural resources on Budapest’s outskirts, is to
develop the ecological and touristic value of urban woods. This includes Lake
Naplás and its new lookout tower, built as part of the Tér-Köz project.
In
recent decades, the area around the lake has changed from industrial to residential
and recreational in character, making it an increasingly popular excursion
destination. Skaters come in winter, anglers and hikers in spring and summer.
The architectural team at Robert Gutowski took
into account the features around the site, creating a lookout tower from spruce,
rising above the trees, providing a full panoramic view of the surroundings.
There are also a rest area and a barbecue facility alongside.
For cyclists, there’s a new trail here through varied terrain. The lake is otherwise poorly served by public transport – it's a 30-minute walk from Cinkota station.
