Pariguz

Pariguz (Serbian: para - steam, guz - ass) is a lake in Resnik, an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, Serbia.

The funny name of the lake was inherited from the muddy valley which existed before. Creeks filled the valley with water, forming mud which, according to locals, had the power to cure hemorrhoids, so a local with a nude ass was no rare sight by the creek.

The lake itself is 700 m long and 120 m wide. This artificial lake was made in 1989, then dried in 1999, during the NATO bombing of Serbia (Urban legends tell that one of the bombs fell in the lake, but never exploded and that was the reason drying and cleaning; this was never confirmed). After that period, the bottom of the lake was cleaned and the lake refilled with water from 4 creeks, which form the Topcider river.

Today, the lake is rich with fish and its shores are home for local wildlife such as wild ducks, partridges and other birds.

Current plans for making Pariguz part a sport centre with hotels and restaurants on water are dividing the local community, which agrees that some part of the shore should be arranged for the swimmers, but highly disapproves of the disturbance of the local ecosystem, and the peacefulness of its shores, which many locals seek and find in this place.

References

• The information in this article is based on that in its Serbian equivalent.