Capraia

The island is one island in the Mediterranean Sea and is part of the Tuscan Archipelago Tuscany region of Italy. The island is the territory of the municipality Capraia Isola ( Livorno ) with 394 inhabitants.

Location and data

Capraia lies between the Cap Corse in the north of Corsica and the Italian mainland. Geographically counts Capraia to the Tyrrhenian islands. Its origin dates back to several violent volcanic eruptions that occurred before nine million years ago. Today about 20 km ² island is characterized by a rugged mountain range, the highest mountain in the Monte Castello rises 447 meters above sea level. The coastal strip forms a jagged cliff, which is barely interrupted by bays. The Cala Rossa is the remnant of a volcanic cone into the sea crashed.

History

From the Greeks, the island Aegylon ( Αηγυλον ) was called by the Romans Capraria - both names refer probably to the presence of wild goats on Capraia (it. capra = goat). Another theory assumes that the name of the ancient Mediterranean root * karpa with the meaning rock, stone derives.

In the Middle Ages the island was initially a base Saracen pirates, then it was under the rule of Pisa, after the Battle of Meloria she came to Genoa. Although Capraia administratively belonged to Corsica, the island remained even after 1768 in Genoa and did not come to France.

After the unification of Italy (see Risorgimento ), the island was, until November 15, 1925 part of the province of Genoa, until she came to Tuscany. Until 1 January 1977 Capraia belonged to the Archdiocese of Genoa.

From World War II until 1986, the island was agricultural penal colony.

The largest part of the island - everything down to the area of a small town called Porto Vecchio with about 120 inhabitants - is part of the National Park was founded in 1989 Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago Toscano.

Traffic

Reachable the island is by ferry from Livorno:

• Car ferry on the shipping company Toremar all year, crossing approximately 2.5 hours
• Fast passenger ferry shipping company Navigazione Gulf of Poets in the summer months, crossing about 1.5 hours

Pictures

Church of San Nicola