Pianosa

Pianosa is a small island in the Mediterranean, 14 km south of the island of Elba, is 26 km from the Italian mainland (Province of Livorno). It is part of the Tuscan Archipelago, and is part of the municipality of Campo dell'Elba.

Geography

The surface is 1025 hectares, the highest point in Belvedere has a height of 29 m above sea level - It is therefore relatively flat, with an average elevation of 10 meters. The coastline length is 26 km. 250 meters east of the small rocks Pianosa La Scola is with a diameter of around 150 meters and a height of 32 meters. Even smaller is La Scarpa, 70 by 80 meters tall and 260 meters from the northern tip of Punta del Marchese.

History

Fossil record of bears, deer and horses show that the island was connected to the mainland in Neozoikum. In Roman times the island was used to exile. The Latin name was Planasia. The most famous exile was Agrippa Postumus ( 12 BC to 14 AD, the youngest son of Marcus Agrippa and the Vipsanius Iulia, the daughter of Augustus ). The Roman Empress Agrippina her brother banished to Pianosa that there, among other things, a system of tunnels for his slaves he has not wanted to see, can create and luxurious feasts celebrated. Excavations have secured some mosaics from him. After his death, many returned back there voluntarily. From the time there are many Christian catacombs, which can be visited.

In the Middle Ages the island belonged to Pisa, then Genoa. Emperor Napoleon had once cellars built for the then not introduced extensive viticulture.

On Pianosa about 140 years long existed a maximum security prison, which was closed in August 1998. Since then, the island can be visited again. From this period dates the arrival at the eye-catching security wall, which is named after the then responsible Muro dalla Chiesa. The wall extends approximately from the Cala di San Giovanni south of the main town to the north to the foot of Monte Belvedere. There is also the villa romana di Agrippa. Two other existing prison facilities a lower security level (one for day release ), which are currently only small and mostly occupied only in the summer months. The eponymous main town and only place Pianosa on the East Coast has 10 inhabitants ( 2001 census). Administratively, the island belongs to the municipality of Campo nell'Elba whose main area is in the southwest of the island of Elba.

Tourism

The island can not be visited individually, but solely as part of guided tours, which are offered on Elba, and also on the mainland. You can reach Pianosa in about 35 minutes by boat from the port of Marina di Campo on Elba. Tuesdays also runs the Giovanni Bellini Toremar the ferry company as a supply ship from Piombino ( mainland ) to Pianosa (duration about 3 hours) and takes passengers for day trips. The island and the surrounding sea belong to the Parco nazionale National Park dell'Arcipelago Toscano. In addition, the sea area belongs to the island for the multinational reserve Santuario Cetaceans ( sanctuary of whales).

Novel and film

  • Pianosa also serves as a venue for Joseph Heller's novel Catch- 22, which, however, already pointed out in the preface of the book that the island was too small for all the behavior described here.
  • Markus Kampp: rooms with sea view - The prison Pianosa. Film for the WDR, 2001, 45 min.

Photo Gallery

Pianosa in the foreground and the small rocky island in the background Scola

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