Locals claim to have repeatedly seen a mermaid surface from the water of Kodak Quarry and dive back under — a legend that lives alongside a thoroughly real history: the ruins of a Cossack-era fortress sit just meters from the lake. The granite quarry in Stari Kodaky was worked as early as the 18th century, its stone used to build bridges and roads.
The village of Stari Kodaky traces its history to 1635, when a powerful defensive structure appeared here — Kodak Fortress, built in a matter of months, from March to August. The word “kodak” translates from Turkic as “mountain settlement.” When water pumping from the quarry stopped in 1994, the pit filled up and became one of the most popular recreation spots around Dnipro.
General Information
| What? | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Kodak Quarry |
| Location | Stari Kodaky village, Dnipro Raion, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast |
| Coordinates | Southern part of Dnipro Raion, along the Dnipro River |
| Type | Flooded granite quarry, next to the ruins of Kodak Fortress |
| Size/Depth | Up to 131 ft (40 m) deep, about 655 ft (200 m) wide, stretching north to south |
| Temperature | Typical of a deep granite quarry, colder at depth |
| Status | Unofficial recreation spot, no protected status |
A Fortress Built Against the Very Cossacks Who Later Ruined It
I think the quarry’s proximity to the Kodak Fortress ruins is the most interesting detail here: the fortress was built on orders of the Polish crown to control the Zaporizhian Cossacks, and it was the Cossacks who destroyed it in response, more than once. The lake with its cliffs sits today in the very landscape where that decades-long struggle played out.
Cliffs and Legends
West of the quarry stands a tall cliff scattered with fallen rock. The sheer shores and turquoise water attract not only sunbathers but also extreme-sports enthusiasts who use the cliffs for jumping and climbing.
What Not to Expect
Don’t expect an officially patrolled beach or lifeguards: the sheer cliffs attract cliff jumpers, but that raises the risk of injury from an uneven lakebed. The mermaid legend is local folklore, not a documented fact, so take residents’ stories as tradition rather than literal history.
What to See Nearby and How to Fit It Into a Route
- The ruins of Kodak Fortress — right next to the quarry, in the same village.
- Dnipro — the oblast capital, a few kilometers away.
- The old Cossack cemetery — part of the same historic complex.
Practical Information
- Entry: free
- How to get there: by car or public transport from Dnipro to Stari Kodaky
- Time needed: 1.5–3 hours, including the fortress ruins
- Special conditions: be careful on the rocky shores; don’t jump in without checking the depth
Conclusion
Kodak Quarry is a rare mix of natural beauty, Cossack history, and local folklore: a lake left by a former granite mine sits literally in the shadow of a fortress that a century of struggle turned into a symbol of resistance.
