Palmaria (island)

Palmaria ( in Ligurian: A Parmæa ) is an Italian island at the western end of the Gulf of La Spezia. The island lies off the Ligurian municipality of Porto Venere, from which it is separated by a strait (Le bocche ). Palmaria, together with the islands of Tino and Tinetto an archipelago whose territory belongs to the municipality of Porto Venere.

Since 1997 Palmaria is, together with the islands of Tino and Tinetto and with Porto Venere and the Cinque Terre a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The island

With 6.5 square kilometers surface Palmaria is the largest of the three islands in the Gulf of La Spezia and the entire Ligurian Sea. The two islands of Tino and Tinetto are a few hundred meters south of Palmaria and form with it an almost linear chain of islands.

The island itself has the shape of a triangle. The two sides, which lie in the direction of Porto Venere and in the direction of the Gulf of La Spezia are the most marked by human influence. They fall with a slight slope from the sea and are covered by typical Mediterranean vegetation. The western side, which is directed towards the open sea, however, is characterized by high cliffs, which are in turn crossed by numerous caves. Some private apartments, a trattoria and various bathhouses find on the two sides of the island colonized. The latter are part of a public nature, and partly reserved for members of the Italian Navy and the Italian air forces.

The Grotta are located on the less accessible western side of the island Azzurra ( accessible only by boat ) and the Grotta dei Colombi, which can only be achieved with proper climbing equipment. The Grotta dei Colombi is of major historical importance, since in their skeletons of animals from the Pleistocene, for example chamois and snow owls, but also remains of human graves were found. The latter are supposed to be over 5000 years old.

On the island there are numerous historic buildings. At the highest point of Palmaria are the Forte Umberto I and the Forte Cavour, however, which are not accessible due to its location in a restricted military area. At Punta Scuola is a prison building from the 19th century, which was recently restored and converted into a museum. Spread over the entire territory there are several bunkers from the Second World War and overgrown by vegetation remnants of coastal and anti-aircraft guns. In the vicinity of the two forts is a lighthouse.

Also worthy of note is the old quarry in the southern part of the island. This was in the past, black limestone, which Nero Portoro degraded. On display are still an old crane, a pulley system to transport the stone blocks and the ruins of the workers accommodation.

Climate

The island has a typical Mediterranean climate. Temperature deviations are rare and of moderate extent.

In winter, it 's very rare to larger cold spells or frost. In summer, however, the elevated temperatures of a steady sea breeze can be made bearable. The precipitation curve corresponds to that of the Riviera di Levante, with peaks in spring and autumn.

Flora

The flora of Palmaria comprises about 500 species. The original vegetation, which consisted largely of scrub and oak forest has been altered by human intervention over time. In addition to fire clearing and agricultural use, the introduction of the plane tree, the palm tree and the release of rabbits had a greater impact on the flora.

Today, maritime pine Share (Pinus pinaster ) and Aleppo pine ( Pinus halepensis) the habitat with typical Mediterranean plants such as the holm oak (Quercus ilex), the downy oak (Quercus pubescens), the mastic tree ( Pistacia lentiscus ), the Western Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo ), the cistus (Cistus monspeliensis, Cistus salvifolius and Cistus incanus ), the gorse ( spartium junceum ) and other plants.

Other important plant formations are the Wolfsmilchmacchia ( from Euphorbia dendroides ) and on the wetted by sea water cliffs of sea fennel ( Crithmum maritimum ). Among the flowers the Knapweed Centaurea cineraria veneris, the (var. umbellata Iberis linifolia ) only on Palmaria occurring loop umbel flowers and endemic in the East Ligurian Riviera Centaurea aplolepa are worth mentioning. In addition to the island come before the cabbage Brassica oleracea robertiana and rare in Liguria Grey Hairy Rockrose.

Traffic

Palmaria may be run by private boat. In the summer months, ferry services between the island and Porto Venere, Lerici and La Spezia exist.

Find out more

• Towards the end of the sixties the city of La Spezia was plagued by rapid population development of stray domestic cats. After increased incidents (population reported to have been attacked by cats), the city administration has been stopped for solving the cat problem. This could capture the cats and relocate to the island of Palmaria. However, after a few days the cat reappeared in the city and have since the cats of Palmaria called. A short time later, the cat population developed back.