Lake of Bolsena

Lake Bolsena is one of the pearls of Tuscia, it is the largest lake of volcanic origin in Europe, and is known with the nickname of “the lake that you drink”, for the clarity of its waters.

In the lake, there are two islets:

Isola Martana, opposite the town of marta, is the smaller of the two islands. It is famous for being the site of a historical event, that of Amalasunta, queen of the Goths, the story tells that in 535 Amalasunta was about to ascend to the throne, following the death of Theodoric but, with a deception, she was led on Isola Martana and tragically killed by her cousin Theodato, in memory of this terrible event, remains today a plaque. The island is privately owned and it is not possible to visit it, but coffin trips are organized to circumnavigate it and observe it from the water

Bisentina Island, is the main of the two islands of Lake Bolsena, its nature is luxuriant, with holm oak groves and large gardens. There are the Church of Saints Giacomo and Cristoforo, with its characteristic dome made by Vignola, a villa and the Franciscan Convent. Particularly interesting is the Malta of the Popes, an ancient prison dug entirely into the earth, where those condemned for heresy were locked up.

On the shores of Lake Bolsena there are some characteristic villages, all particularly interesting:

Bolsena, where you can admire the Church of Santa Caterina, dating back to the 11th century, is built in Romanesque style, inside there are some precious works created by famous artists, Sano di Pietro, Giovanni de’Ferraris and Benedetto Buglioni, the Chapel del Miracolo, built in 1639 in Baroque style, inside there is a beautiful statue dedicated to Santa Cristina and built by Benedetto Buglioni, the Rocca Monaldeschi della Cervara, certainly prior to 1156, the fortress became a possession of Orvieto, under the family Monaldeschi, today the fortress houses the Territorial Museum of Lake Bolsena and finally the Palazzo Cozza Crispo, built in the second half of the 1500s on a project by architects Simone Mosca and Raffaello da Montelupo, houses some precious Mannerist frescoes

Montefiascone, where the Church of Santa Maria di Montedoro is located, just outside the town, was built by Antonio da Sangallo The Younger, the shape is octagonal and inside there are some valuable frescoes, some of which depict the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Madonna and Child, the Church of San Flaviano, a Romanesque church inside which there are some frescoes of the Roman school of the 1300s and of the Umbrian school of the 1400s, the Cathedral of Santa Margherita, a splendid sacred building that stands in a panoramic position, dates back to the 15th century

Marta, a delightful village on the shores of the lake, houses some precious ancient buildings, the Collegiate Church of the Santissimi Marta and Biagio, the Church of the Crucifix, the Church of the Madonna del Castagno, dating back to 1600, the Sanctuary and Convent of the Madonna del Monte, dating back to XII century and the Clock Tower

Directly on the shores of the lake, Capodimonte is another delightful village to discover, its historic center houses numerous historic buildings including the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo, the Church of San Rocco and the Church of San Carlo