Isola del Garda
Native name: Isola Borghese | |
---|---|
Geography | |
Location | Lake Garda |
Area | 0.07 km2 (0.027 sq mi) |
Highest elevation | 88 m (289 ft) |
Administration | |
Italy | |
Region | Lombardy |
Province | Brescia |
Comune | San Felice del Benaco |
Demographics | |
Population | 10 |
Isola del Garda, Isola di Garda, or Isola Borghese is the biggest island on Lake Garda. It is part of the comune of San Felice del Benaco, in the Province of Brescia, Lombardy, Italy. The island has a long and varied history, having been used as a Roman burial ground, pirate lair, a site for a Franciscan monastery, border fortification and as a residential villa. The island has been visited by numerous famous people over the centuries, reportedly including Francis of Assisi, Anthony of Padua and Dante Alighieri. Today, it is covered by a park and is dominated by the Venetian neo-Gothic Villa Borghese Cavazza. Although privately owned by the Cavazza family, Isola del Garda has been open to visitors since 2002.
Geography
Isola del Garda is located in the southwest of Lake Garda, just south of the Gulf of Salò, close to the town of San Felice del Benaco, in Brescia province. It is separated from Capo San Fermo by only about 220 meters of open water. It is by far the largest island on the lake. The island (or actually islands, since Isola del Garda includes some small outcroppings of rock and most of the park is divided from the house by a narrow channel) was initially just rocks jutting out from the lake. All the soil for the gardens was brought in over time by the inhabitants. The island is around 1.1 km (0.7 mi) long, but only around 70 metres (230 feet) wide at the widest point. It is now mostly covered by a park and formal gardens with a large variety of plants.
History
The island has been known in turn as Insula Cranie ("Isle of Skulls"), Isola dei Frati ("Isle of Monks"), Isola Scotti, Isola Lechi, Isola de Ferrari and Isola Borghese.
The island is first mentioned in written documents in a decree by
Loco è nel mezzo là dove 'l trentino
pastore e quel di Brescia e 'l veronese
segnar poria, s'e' fesse quel cammino
(Inferno, Canto XX)
In 1422, Bernardino of Siena was on the island for the first of several visits and in that period a Franciscan convent was constructed.[4] It was rebuilt and expanded in 1438, the added church was named Santa Maria dello Scoglio.[4] In 1470, Father Francesco Licheto (1450–1520), a member of the noble Lechi family from Brescia, founded a school of theology and philosophy on the island. In 1517, a religious commentary he wrote was printed for him by Paganino Paganini on the island, and became the first printed book to be published in the whole region around Lake Garda.[3][4] Giano Fregoso, Doge of Genua, and his son Alessandro used the island as a retreat.[4] However, after Licheto's death the religious community there went into decline. From 1685 to 1697 it was a convent for novices.
In 1795, the government of the
In 1860, the island was expropriated by the
Between 1880 and 1900 they had the park constructed, built containment walls to keep out the water and imported fertile earth and exotic plants. Whilst the park was designed from the beginning as an English landscape garden, the area in front of the house was laid out as a more formal Italian garden. In 1893, the Duke died, but the couple had previously decided to build a new villa on the site of the old Lechi villa. This Venetian neo-Gothic palace was constructed in 1890 to 1903, based on a design of architect Luigi Rovelli.[3]
After the Duchess died, her daughter Anna Maria (1874–1924), wife of Prince Scipione Borghese from Rome, inherited the island but she survived her mother by only a few months. In 1927, the prince died, leaving the island to his daughter, Princess Livia Borghese (1901–1969), who was married to Count Alessandro Cavazza from Bologna (1895–1969).[3][8] Their youngest son, Count Camillo Cavazza dei Conti Cavazza married Lady Charlotte Sarah Alexandra Chetwynd-Talbot (born 1938), the eldest daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury in 1965.[9] They had seven children before Camillo Cavazza died in 1981.[9][10]
Today
Today the island is owned by Lady Charlotte Cavazza. She lives on the island with her family (her seven children – four brothers and three sisters – and their families).[9] The family also owns properties on the nearby peninsula where they run businesses that include boat rental, olive growing,[11] a camping site, an agriturismo[12] and a riding school.[13]
Since 2002 the island has been open to visitors on guided tours.[5][14] It can also be rented for special events.
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 978-3-517-08619-4.
- ^ Fabietti, Livia (22 March 2013). "Isola del Garda: un'oasi a colori (Italian)". La Stampa. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Isola del garda: History". Azienda Agricola Borghese Cavazza. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g Attilio, Mazza (1 June 2001). "Isola del Garda per la prima volta apre ai turisti (Italian)". Corriere della sera. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Isola del Garda". Comune di San Felice del Benaco. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ "Duca Gaetano, Marchese De Ferrari". Geneall. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ "Maria Sergeevna Annenkova". Geneall. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ "Alessandro, conte Cavazza". Geneall. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ a b c "Camillo Cavazza dei Conti Cavazza". Geneall. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ISBN 0-9711966-2-1.
- ^ "Olio del Garda". Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ "Agriturismo La Breda". Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ "Isola del garda: About us". Azienda Agricola Borghese Cavazza. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ^ Simpson, Sandy (2002). "The Dehydrating Island". Anglers Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
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