Meloria

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / surface missing template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / height missing

Meloria is a small rock in the Tyrrhenian Sea, which is about seven kilometers from the port of Livorno from an area with a shallow area ( the so-called Secche della Meloria ) rises.

On the island there is a tower ( Torre della Meloria ) from the 18th century, administrative Meloria belongs to the municipality of Livorno, geographically one can count the rocks on the Tuscan Archipelago. Moreover, were the waters around Meloria site of two naval battles.

History

The first lighthouse was built on Meloria probably in the 12th century by the Republic of Pisa. The lighthouse fulfilled simultaneously tasks of a fortress and was first to the Benedictines of Pisa, then entrusted to the Augustinians of San Jacopo in Acquaviva Church in Livorno.

1241 took place in the vicinity of the rock, the first naval battle of Meloria between the fleet of Emperor Frederick II and his ally the Republic of Genoa and Pisa and ended with the victory of the emperor.

1284, the historically more significant second naval battle occurred at Meloria between Genoa and Pisa, the largest naval battle of the Middle Ages, and ended with a Genoese victory.

In 1286 the tower was destroyed by the Genoese. It was not until the late 16th century it was rebuilt by order of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinando I de ' Medici, but soon crashed again.

The current building, which no longer serves as a lighthouse, in 1709 under Cosimo III. de ' Medici erected.