Isola Polvese or Polvese Island is an island situated in the southeastern part of Lake Trasimeno and is the largest of the three islands of the lake. The area is of particular historical and naturalistic interest. Today, the island belongs to the Province of Perugia and is known as a Scientific-Didactic Park, which is a part of Trasimeno Regional Park. The island is a part of Castiglione del Lago.
![]() | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
The island was visited by the Etruscans and by Romans. In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants submitted to Perugia. During that period, some churches and a castle were erected to protect and defend the little village. Monks of the Benedictine and Dominican orders were present on the island. In 1841, the island became private property and was used as a hunting area. In 1973, the Province of Perugia acquired Polvese Island.
Among the most important monuments of the island are the church of Saint Giuliano and Saint Secondo, the Olivetans’ Monastery, and the Medieval Castle. The garden of Aquatic Plants was realized in 1959 by the architect Pietro Porcinai.
In the northern part, a huge oak woodland covers the island with many plant varieties, typical of the Mediterranean area, such as holm and ash trees. In the lower wood guelder rose, laurel, ilex, and privet can be found. The southern area is covered by a huge olive grove with centuries-old olive trees. The humid area is characterized by an extended reed thicket that grows along from the east to the south. Ornamental plants and trees are present all along the meadows while rosemary hedges and pomegranate characterize the paths and the inner part of the island. The natural environs lodge a rich fauna of invertebrates, especially insects. Among the vertebrates, there are the fox, the marten, the hare, the nutria, and a wide variety of birds, especially the ones, that live in humid climates such as coots, ducks, and herons.
The island offers today an example of management according to sustainable criteria. The activities offered by the Environmental Experience Center on the island concern didactic and environmental tourism.
General |
|
---|---|
National libraries |
![]() | This Umbria location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |