THE BOLSENA LAKE
Lago di Bolsena is Italy's largest lake formed in the crater of an
extinct volcano. The water of Bolsena is so clear, in fact, that it is
completely safe to drink it. The local government has gone to great
efforts to maintain the lake's natural purity; a technologically
advanced purification system has eliminated the errors that might have
been made before pollution-awareness was so developed. Luckily no
industrial development mars Bolsena's shores, nor its views, and the
gently sloping nature of the encircling land limits the amount of
spill-off and soil erosion which could effect the water's transparency.
The native fisherman still use the lake's water to make the local
culinary specialty - a fish soup called sbrosia - a rarity to find.The
lake is 12 km. long and 14 km. wide, with a maximum depth of 151 meters.
The most important town on the lake is called Bolsena. Like so much of
Italy, it bears the signs of almost every important period of the
Italian peninsula, going back as far as the Iron Age and progressing
through the times of the martyrs, catacombs and miracles and on to the
Middle Ages. The Rocca Monaldeschi della Cervara sits at the top of the
hill, overlooking the medieval quarter of town. The castle was built
between the 12th and 14th centuries. It has been completely renovated
and since 1991 has housed the Museo Territoriale del Lago di Bolsena
(Lake Bolsena Territorial Museum). The museum is well laid out; each of
its three floors is dedicated to various aspects of Bolsena's history,
ranging from its prehistoric volcanic origins to its Etruscan-Roman
period. A walk along the ramparts of the castle offers a gorgeous view
of the entire lake and should not be missed. The Church of St. Christine
is the town's other major site. It is a Romanesque church built in 1078
in a typical basilica style over the catacombs where St. Christine, a
young woman martyred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian,
was buried. From April to September, excursion boats depart Bolsena town
headed for Bisentina and Martana, the islands in the lake. Both are
privately owned and Martana is not open to the public, but Bisentina is
an ex-summer residence of the Popes and has a large church on it. There
are also seven small chapels built around the island. Don't think that
Bolsena is just for history and culture buffs. It is also ideal for
swimming, sailing, relaxation and dining. One of my fondest memories is
having a delicious meal of grilled coregone (a local fish from the lake)
at one of the many unpretentious restaurants lined up along the shore.
If you happen to find one that's serving sbrosia, consider it your lucky
day. |
