We have inherited several variations of the legend telling the story of the St Anna Lake. One version is about the two evil brothers that bore rule over the region. One of them had a castle on the Büdös-tető ” (translator’s note: the English equivalent „Stinky top”), while the other’s was erected right on the spot of the lake today. The lord of the castle on the Büdös-tető had a beautiful carriage drawn by outstandingly beautiful horses. His brother was very envious of it and he offered a bet, saying that the next time he visited his brother; his phaeton would be even more exquisite. The tyrant brother’s idea was to harness eight of the most beautiful girls, and drive them to his brother’s castle. On seeing that the eight beauties were unable to budge the carriage, the cruel master started to whip them. Anna, the most beautiful of the girls, cast a curse on the evil despot that was instantly carried out: there came a huge storm, brewing with infernal thundering and lightning, and the earth was moaning when, all of a sudden, the tyrant’s castle was swallowed, and a lake arose in its place.

The most visited spot in Seklerland is located within the Ciomatu/Csomád massif – the St. Anna Lake is the only large and unharmed Crater Lake in Europe. The lake is situated at an altitude of 946 m, it is 1737 m in range and its depth is of maximum 7 m. During heavy rains or whenever the snow melts in the mountains, the 13 streams are flooded, carrying water and debris from the brim of the crater into the lake, banking up its northern and western edges, and covering its bottom with an ever thickening layer of mud.