Lake Nemi

The Lake Nemi (Italian Lago di Nemi) is a lake in the Alban hills of central Italy, around 30 km south-east of Rome. He is a crater lake in the volcanic complex of Vulcano Laziale. Through the Monte Cavo lake of Nemi is separated from the adjacent Lake Albano.

The lake is part of the denunciation of the community Nemi. The southwestern lakeshore bordering the municipality Genzano.

In ancient times

In ancient times the location below the present village of Nemi sanctuary of Diana Nemorensis was an important place of worship. The lake also developed into a recreation area rich Romans and all around numerous villas were built, including one for Julius Caesar.

The Roman emperor Caligula ( 37-41 AD) left to his own pleasure and for religious purposes two magnificent ships, the Nemi ships constructed on the lake. As these giant boats were on the lake in use long is unclear. However, you must have been a short time after the fall Caligula dropped or dumped.

The drainage tunnel

Probably already in pre-Roman times, a tunnel was dug through the southwestern crater wall in order to decrease the level of Nemi and to irrigate their own valley of the inhabitants of Ariccia. Thus, farmland both in Nemi crater and in the valley of Ariccia, also an extinct volcano crater won. The tunnel was a technical masterpiece of 1,653 m in length and a slope of 12.63 meters, which was at the beginning with wood, protected by the expansion in Roman times with marble filters. At the time of Nemi ships, the lake was likely to be further lowered to calm the water surface because the ships with their stone constructions were sensitive to swell. In the Middle Ages fell into the tunnel. However, he was from 1927 repaired again to empty out the water of the lake through him and expose the ancient ships again.

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