Giglio Island

Infobox CityIT
img_coa = Isola_del_Giglio-Stemma.png official_name = Comune di Isola del Giglio
region = Toscana
province = Grosseto (GR)
elevation_m = 405
area_total_km2 = 23.80
population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 1553
population_density_km2 = 63
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|42|21|N|10|54|E
frazioni = Isola di Giannutri, Giglio Castello, Giglio Porto, Giglio Campese
telephone = 0564
mapx=42.35
mapy=10.9
name=Isola del Giglio
postalcode = 58010, 58012, 58013
gentilic =Gigliesi
saint = San Mamiliano
day = September 15
mayor = Attilio Brothel (since June 2004)
website =

Giglio Island ( _it. Isola del Giglio) is an island and Italian "commune" situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of Tuscany, part of the Province of Grosseto.

Geography

The island is separated by a 16 km stretch of sea from the Argentario promontory: mainly mountainous, it is almost wholly constituted of granites culminating in the Poggio della Pagana (496 m). 90% of its surface is covered by Mediterranean vegetation alternating with large pine forests and numerous vineyards which enable the production of the famous "Ansonaco" wine. The coast is 27 km long, made up of rocks, of smooth cliffs and several suggestive bays: Arenella, Cannelle, Caldane and Campese, the biggest one with its little homonymous village.

History

The modern island was probably born 4.5 - 5 millions years ago, and has been inhabited since the Iron Age. Later it was probably an Etruscan military stronghold. Under the Roman domination it was an important base in the Tyrrhenian Sea, cited, for example, by Julius Caesar in his "De Bello Gallico" and by the poet Rutilius Claudius Namatianus.

In 805 it was donated by Charlemagne to the abbey of the Tre Fontane in Rome, and was later a possession of Aldobrandeschi, Pannocchieschi, Caetani, Orsini families and the commune of Perugia. In 1241 the Sicilian fleet of Emperor Frederick II destroyed a Genoese fleet. From 1264 Giglio was a Pisane dominion, from which it passed to the Medici. It suffered several Saracen attacks, which ended only in 1799.

Alongside its history the island was always renowned for his minerary resources: many columns and edifices in Rome were built with the Gigliese granite.

Main sights

The island houses the remains of a Roman villa of Domitius Ahenobarbus (1st-2nd centuries), in the area of Giglio Porto. No traces of the Temple of Diana once existing now can be seen. The church of San Pietro Apostolo in Giglio Castello has an ivory crucifix attributed to Giambologna

It is also site of an Etruscan shipwreck, dating to the early Iron age, "c." 600 BC. The cargo of the ship included copper and lead ingots, iron spits, amphorae and a Corinthian helmet. Even a wooden writing tablet with stylus was preserved. The finds are almost completely lost now.

Transportation

Isola del Giglio is connected to Tuscany by ferries starting from Porto Santo Stefano and Orbetello Scalo.

External links

* [http://www.giglioinfo.com Tourist and Visitor Information for the Giglio Island www.giglioinfo.com]
* [http://www.ifmb.com/ Institute for Marine Biology located on Giglio Island]
* [http://www.cdc-giglio.de/home/homecdc.html Dive station and diving school located on Giglio Island]