Lake Albano
| Lake Albano | |
|---|---|
| Lago Albano (Italian) | |
 The lake. | |
  Lake Albano | |
| Location | Alban Hills |
| Coordinates | 41°45′0″N 12°39′54″E / 41.75000°N 12.66500°E |
| Type | crater lake |
| Basin countries | Italy |
| Surface area | 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 170 m (560 ft) |
Lake Albano (Italian: Lago Albano or Lago di Castel Gandolfo) is a small
It hosted the
History and geology
In Roman times, it was known as Albanus Lacus and lay not far from the ancient city of Alba Longa.
With a depth of about 170 m (560 ft), Lake Albano is the deepest in Lazio. The lake is 3.5 km (2.2 mi) long by 2.3 km (1.4 mi) wide, and was formed by the overlapping union of two volcanic craters, an origin indicated by the ridge in its center, which rises to a height of 70 m (230 ft). Plutarch reports that in 406 BC the lake surged over the surrounding hills, despite there being no rain nor tributaries flowing into the lake to account for the rise in water level.[2] The ensuing flood destroyed fields and vineyards before eventually pouring into the sea. It is thought to have been caused by volcanic gases, trapped in sediment at the bottom of the lake and gradually building up until suddenly releasing, causing the water to overflow. [3]
Drainage tunnel
Around 395 BC, during the wars between Rome and Veii, a discharge tunnel was built crossing the crater walls. It served as an
The tunnel is 1350 m long, 1.20 m wide and 2 m high. Five vertical access shafts are known and it runs 128 m below the surface.
According to
Lake Albanus in Roman myth
During Rome's war with Veii in 393 BC, the level of Lake Albano rose to an unusual height even in the absence of rain. This prodigy was believed to be relevant to the siege of Veii because a haruspex from Veii recited some lines of a prophecy that illustrated the relationship between the level of its waters and either the safety or the fall of the town to the Romans. It foretold that as long as the waters of the lake remained high, Veii would be impregnable to the Romans. If the waters of the lake were scattered in an inland direction, Veii would fall; but if they were to overflow through the usual streams or channels toward the sea, this would be unfavourable to the Romans as well.[7]
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Painting by Sylvester Shchedrin, before 1825 -
Lake Albano, George Inness, 1869 -
Panoramic view -
View of the lake showing Castel Gandolfo
References
- ^ 1960 Summer Olympics official report (PDF), vol. 1, pp. 82–83, archived from the original (PDF) on 31 October 2008
- MIT), retrieved 4 February 2014
- ISBN 9780191608414, retrieved 23 October 2015
- ^ Graziano Nisio, Dalla leggendaria Alba Longa a Castel Gandolfo, Castel Gandolfo, Il Vecchio Focolare, 2008. p 83-85
- Ab Urbe Condita, V, 15–16.
- ^ Livy V 15-16. Cicero De Divinatione I 44 ff.
- ^ Georges Dumézil (1973). Mythe et epopee. Vol. III Histoires romaines. Paris. p. 21.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Cited by Bloch p. 346.
Bibliography
- Britannica.com (retrieved: 12 March 2009)
- Italian Tourism – Lakes (retrieved: 12 March 2009)
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | Date: 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Columbia University Press (retrieved: 12 March 2009)
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