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LAKE OF BOLSENA AND THE BISENTINA ISLAND
A charming landscape, ancient historical towns and good food make Lake Bolsena a
wonderful place for a pleasant and relaxing holiday. Once known as Volsiniensis
Lacus, Lake Bolsena is the largest volcanic lake in Italy ( 44 sq. mi).
Its crystal-clear water holds a great variety of fish such as pike, tench, carp,
white fish and eels. Many pleasant small towns rise on little hills all around
the lake (Gradoli, Marta, Grotte di Castro, Bolsena, Capodimonte, Montefiascone).
In the early Renaissance, most of these places became the favourite holiday
resorts of the powerful Farnese family. The two small islands in the lake (the
Bisentina and the Martana islands) are the remains of volcanic cones. The
Bisentina is especially noteworthy for its beautiful natural environment and for
its ancient monuments, among which is the church of Santi Giacomo and
Cristoforo. Used by cardinals and popes as a hunting preserve, the island gave
hospitality to a monastic community, and some small chapels were built all over
the islands. Between spring and autumn, it is also possible to make boat trips
to the Bisentina island. The Martana, instead, is famous because of Amalasunta,
the queen of the Goths. The queen’s cousin Teodato confined the woman to the
small island, and, some time later, he killed her in cold blood.
Fonte
dati e immagini APT Viterbo |
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