Monte Argentario
Encyclopedia
Monte Argentario is a comune
(municipality) and a peninsula belonging to the Province of Grosseto
in the Italian
region Tuscany
, located about 150 km south of Florence
and about 35 km south of Grosseto
. The peninsula is connected with the mainland by three spits of land which form two lagoons, the Laguna di Ponente on the west side and the Laguna di Levante on the east side of the middle dam.
The two main villages on Monte Argentario are Porto Santo Stefano
, facing north, and Porto Ercole facing south.
The panoramic road Strada panoramica starts in Porto Santo Stefano allowing splendid views of the coast and the Tuscan Archipelago
.
Monte Argentario borders the comune of Orbetello
, which is located on the middle dam between the two lagoons.
in correspondence of the two southernmost islands of the Tuscan Archipelago
, Giglio
and Giannutri
. The promontory was an island in the past, but the sea currents and the Albegna
river joined it with the mainland through two so-called tomboli
(stretches of land), The Tombolo of Giannella and the Tombolo of the Feniglia.
The highest peak of Monte Argentario is the Punta Telegrafo (635 m). The landscape and the coast are mainly rocky; numerous harbors, usually with rock beaches, are present. The municipal seat is in the northern settlement, Porto Santo Stefano.
The promontory, probably already inhabited by the Etruscans, was a personal property of the Domitii Aenobarbi family, who obtained it in return for the money they lent to the Roman Republic
in the Punic Wars
. The current name stems probably from this origin, since Arganterii was the name of money lenders in ancient Rome.
Later an imperial possession, it was ceded to the church by Constantine the Great in the 4th century AD. In the Middle Ages, due to the reduced traffic passing on the nearby Via Aurelia
, the area was sparsely settled. Following the history of Orbetello, the promontory was a possession of the Aldobrandeschi, Orsini, King Ladislaus of Naples and Siena
, until Spain
acquired it in the late 16th century. The Spaniards heavily fortified the two ports, as the main stronghold of the State of Presidi
. After Napoleon's defeat, in 1815 the Argentario was handed over to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
, to which it remained until 1860, when it became part of the newly united Kingdom of Italy.
During World War II
, the settlements of Argentario were heavily bombed, with numerous losses. The port of Santo Stefano was destroyed, and was rebuilt only in the 1950s. The railway that connected Orbetello to the mainland was never rebuilt.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) and a peninsula belonging to the Province of Grosseto
Province of Grosseto
The Province of Grosseto is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto.-Geography:It has an area of 4,504 km², and a total population of 227.498...
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, located about 150 km south of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and about 35 km south of Grosseto
Grosseto
Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river....
. The peninsula is connected with the mainland by three spits of land which form two lagoons, the Laguna di Ponente on the west side and the Laguna di Levante on the east side of the middle dam.
The two main villages on Monte Argentario are Porto Santo Stefano
Porto Santo Stefano
Porto Santo Stefano is located in the municipality of Monte Argentario, in the Province of Grosseto, in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is one of the 2 major towns that form the townships along with Porto Ercole.-Position:...
, facing north, and Porto Ercole facing south.
The panoramic road Strada panoramica starts in Porto Santo Stefano allowing splendid views of the coast and the Tuscan Archipelago
Tuscan Archipelago
The Tuscan Archipelago is a chain of islands between the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, west of Tuscany, Italy.The archipelago contains the islands of Gorgona, Capraia, Elba , Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio, and Giannutri; all of which are protected as part of the Tuscan Archipelago National...
.
Monte Argentario borders the comune of Orbetello
Orbetello
Orbetello is a town and comune in the province of Grosseto , Italy. It is located c. 35 km south of Grosseto, on the eponymous lagoon, which is home to an important Natural Reserve.-History:...
, which is located on the middle dam between the two lagoons.
Geography
Monte Argentario is a promontory stretching towards the Tyrrhenian SeaTyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
in correspondence of the two southernmost islands of the Tuscan Archipelago
Tuscan Archipelago
The Tuscan Archipelago is a chain of islands between the Ligurian Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea, west of Tuscany, Italy.The archipelago contains the islands of Gorgona, Capraia, Elba , Pianosa, Montecristo, Giglio, and Giannutri; all of which are protected as part of the Tuscan Archipelago National...
, Giglio
Giglio
Giglio could refer to:*Isola del Giglio*Giglio v. United States, a U.S. Supreme Court precedent...
and Giannutri
Giannutri
Giannutri is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the most southerly island of the Tuscan Archipelago and a frazione of the comune of Isola del Giglio....
. The promontory was an island in the past, but the sea currents and the Albegna
Albegna
The Albegna is a river in southern Tuscany, the sources of which are located in province of Grosseto on the southern side of Monte Buceto, the southwestern part of the volcanic cone of Mount Amiata, along with the northern side of Monte Aquilaia, and the Poggio all'Olmo Reservoir.The river goes...
river joined it with the mainland through two so-called tomboli
Tombolo
A tombolo, from the Italian tombolo, derived from the Latin tumulus, meaning 'mound,' and sometimes translated as ayre , is a deposition landform in which an island is attached to the mainland by a narrow piece of land such as a spit or bar. Once attached, the island is then known as a tied island...
(stretches of land), The Tombolo of Giannella and the Tombolo of the Feniglia.
The highest peak of Monte Argentario is the Punta Telegrafo (635 m). The landscape and the coast are mainly rocky; numerous harbors, usually with rock beaches, are present. The municipal seat is in the northern settlement, Porto Santo Stefano.
History
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
in the Punic Wars
Punic Wars
The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 B.C.E. to 146 B.C.E. At the time, they were probably the largest wars that had ever taken place...
. The current name stems probably from this origin, since Arganterii was the name of money lenders in ancient Rome.
Later an imperial possession, it was ceded to the church by Constantine the Great in the 4th century AD. In the Middle Ages, due to the reduced traffic passing on the nearby Via Aurelia
Via Aurelia
The Via Aurelia was a Roman road in Italy constructed around the year 241 BC. The project was undertaken by C. Aurelius Cotta, who at that time was censor...
, the area was sparsely settled. Following the history of Orbetello, the promontory was a possession of the Aldobrandeschi, Orsini, King Ladislaus of Naples and Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
, until Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
acquired it in the late 16th century. The Spaniards heavily fortified the two ports, as the main stronghold of the State of Presidi
State of Presidi
The Stato dei Presidi was a client state of the Kingdom of Spain situated in central Italy, which included the cities of Orbetello, Porto Ercole, Porto Santo Stefano, Talamone, Ansedonia and Porto Longone, in what is now southern Tuscany...
. After Napoleon's defeat, in 1815 the Argentario was handed over to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
, to which it remained until 1860, when it became part of the newly united Kingdom of Italy.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the settlements of Argentario were heavily bombed, with numerous losses. The port of Santo Stefano was destroyed, and was rebuilt only in the 1950s. The railway that connected Orbetello to the mainland was never rebuilt.
Main sights
- Rocca Spagnola (Spanish Fortress), in Porto Santo Stefano
- Forte Filippo and Forte Stella, in Porto Ercole
- The church of St. Erasmus, in the historical centre of Porto Ercole, not far from the Porta Pisana
- The Via panoramica (Panoramic Road), running alongside the coast.