Morskie Oko (literally "Eye of the Sea") is the largest and fourth deepest lake in the Tatra Mountains. It is located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is situated in the Rybi Potok Valley, at the base of the Mięguszowiecki Summits, and deep within the Tatra National Park.
The peaks that ring the lake rise about 1,000 meters above its surface; one of them is Rysy (2,499 meters), the highest peak in the Polish Tatras. Beside Mięguszowieckie Szczyty (including Mięguszowiecki Wielki, 2,438 meters), farther away and slightly to the left, is the distinctive, slender Mnich (“Monk,” 2,068 meters). Many Swiss Pines also grow around the lake.
In the past, Morskie Oko was called "Rybie Jezioro" ("Fish Lake") due to its natural stock of fish, which are uncommon in Tatra lakes and ponds. In the clear depths of the water, one can easily notice trout - so called "famine" trout - that live in the lake. The name "Morskie Oko" translates to "Eye of the Sea"; this is derived from an old legend, according to which the lake was connected to the sea via an underground passage.
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