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81-632: Trasimeno is shallow, muddy, and rich in fish, including pike, carp, and tench. During the last 10 years it has been 5 meters deep, on average. Lake Trasimeno is an apparently endorheic body of water with no natural above-ground outlet. However, the Romans dug an artificial drainage tunnel in the San Savino area, which was restored in the Renaissance; a modern canal, the Emissario del Trasimeno,

162-478: A comune is officially called a commune in French. The comune provides essential public services: registry of births and deaths, registry of deeds , and maintenance of local roads and public works. Many comuni have a Polizia Comunale ( lit.   ' Communal Police ' ), which is responsible for public order duties. The comune also deal with the definition and compliance with

243-426: A balance of surface inflows, evaporation and seepage) are often called sinks. Endorheic lakes are typically located in the interior of a landmass, far from an ocean, and in areas of relatively low rainfall. Their watersheds are often confined by natural geologic land formations such as a mountain range, cutting off water egress to the ocean. The inland water flows into dry watersheds where the water evaporates, leaving

324-504: A building usually called the municipio , or palazzo comunale ( lit.   ' town hall ' ). As of January 2021, there were 7,904 comuni in Italy; they vary considerably in size and population. For example, the comune of Rome , in Lazio , has an area of 1,287.36 km (497.05 sq mi) and a population of 2,758,454 inhabitants, and is both the largest and

405-638: A chessboard in the Roman style. The Battle of Lake Trasimene occurred on the northern shore of the lake in April 217 B.C. during the Second Punic War . The exact location of the battle is unknown because the lake then extended further north; the battle could have been fought between Cortona and Tuoro . Near Cortona is a place called 'Ossaia', in Italian meaning ossuary. Another place with reference to

486-665: A circular structure to hold the net around it. The nets trapped the fish that were then taken to the village to be dried. This system worked with a high water level, but was abandoned when the level dropped. A mock up of this system was built several years ago near Polvese Isle's port. There are castles all around Trasimeno, many in the center of small towns while others are isolated and in ruins. Castiglione del Lago, Passignano, Magione, Maggiore, and Polvese islands all have castles, while Zocco castle, Montali castle, and others are on hilltops. The Guglielmi castle in Maggiore Isle

567-772: A comune as rione ( Italian: [riˈoːne] ; pl. : rioni ) or contrade . The term originated from the administrative divisions of Rome, and is derived from the Latin word regio ( pl. : regiones ), meaning "region". All currently extant rioni are located in Municipio I of Rome. The term has been adopted as a synonym of quartiere in the Italian comuni . Terzieri , quartieri , sestieri , rioni , and their analogues are usually no longer administrative divisions of these towns, but historical and traditional communities, seen especially in towns' annual Palio . A terziere ( pl. : terzieri )

648-573: A high concentration of minerals and other inflow erosion products. Over time this input of erosion products can cause the endorheic lake to become relatively saline (a " salt lake "). Since the main outflow pathways of these lakes are chiefly through evaporation and seepage, endorheic lakes are usually more sensitive to environmental pollutant inputs than water bodies that have access to oceans, as pollution can be trapped in them and accumulate over time. Endorheic regions can occur in any climate but are most commonly found in desert locations. This reflects

729-535: A highway was built over the Passignano's road to Perugia. This highway passes near the north and the east shores of Trasimeno and goes to Perugia and Assisi. Many smaller roads, such as state highway 75, are also present, especially on the western side of the lake. The Autostrada A1 passes five kilometers (3.1 mi) to the west of the Lake. Strict regulations apply for the navigation on the Lake. A protected strip

810-798: A large portion of Europe drains to the endorheic Caspian Sea, Europe's wet climate means it contains relatively few terminal lakes itself: any such basin is likely to continue to fill until it reaches an overflow level connecting it with an outlet or erodes the barrier blocking its exit. There are some seemingly endorheic lakes, but they are cryptorheic, being drained either through manmade canals , via karstic phenomena, or other subsurface seepage. A few minor true endorheic lakes exist in Spain (e.g. Laguna de Gallocanta , Estany de Banyoles ), Italy , Cyprus ( Larnaca and Akrotiri salt lakes) and Greece . Many small lakes and ponds in North Dakota and

891-493: A limit of the erosion and deposition processes of nearby areas. Endorheic water bodies include the Caspian Sea , which is the world's largest inland body of water. The term endorheic derives from the French word endoréisme , which combines endo- ( Ancient Greek : ἔνδον éndon 'within') and ῥεῖν rheîn 'flow'. Endorheic lakes (terminal lakes) are bodies of water that do not flow into an ocean or

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972-414: A natural park was established over the entire surface and the shores. A 50 km (31 mi) bicycle path was opened in 2003 around the lake that allows tourists to explore it. There are also cross-country paths, especially over the hills on the eastern side. The lake is inhabited by 19 species of fish, of which 15 are introduced exotics. The impact of non-native species in the lake has been heightened by

1053-523: A redistribution of water from these hydrologically landlocked basins such that endorheic water loss has contributed to sea level rise , and it is estimated that most of the terrestrial water lost ends up in the ocean. In regions such as Central Asia, where people depend on endorheic basins and other surface water sources to satisfy their water needs, human activity greatly impacts the availability of that water. Large endorheic regions in Africa are located in

1134-420: A sea. Most of the water that falls to Earth percolates into the oceans and the seas by way of a network of rivers, lakes, and wetlands . Analogous to endorheic lakes is the class of bodies of water located in closed watersheds (endorheic watersheds) where the local topography prevents the drainage of water into the oceans and the seas. These endorheic watersheds (containing water in rivers or lakes that form

1215-538: A separate ruler, through the arbitration of Venice, which were known as sestieri . The island of Crete , a Venetian colony (the Kingdom of Candia ) from the Fourth Crusade , was also divided into six parts, named after the sestieri of Venice herself, while the capital Candia retained the status of a comune of Venice. The island of Burano north of Venice is also subdivided into sestieri . A variation of

1296-403: A sloped table. Minore is now uninhabited, but in the past had a village with over 500 residents. Many centuries ago, a castle with a pentagonal structure stood near the shore, near an Olivetan monastery. The castle still remains, and the ruins of the church and the monastery are almost totally preserved, despite the abandonment in the 17th century due to malaria. The malaria was eradicated only in

1377-444: A substrate for laying their eggs. The increased water turbidity is also harmful to their hunting, as pikes are primarily visual predators. Efforts to counteract the southern pike's decline include a ban on its fishing, which has been in effect since 2011, and controlled restocking of juvenile specimens. Eels are also considered to be locally at risk due the presence of artificial dams and weirs impeding their ability to migrate between

1458-620: A synonymous of neighbourhood, and an Italian town can be now subdivided into a larger number of quartieri . The Swiss town of Lugano (in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino) is also subdivided into quarters. The English word quarter to mean an urban neighbourhood (e.g. the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana) is derived from the cognate old French word quartier . A sestiere ( pl. : sestieri )

1539-475: A tower near Passignano. Monte del Lago was originally built to control the road from Trasimeno to Perugia. The local airport, the Eleuteri, near Castiglione del Lago, was once one of the main aviation schools in Italy, with elegant buildings that were destroyed by retreating German troops in the summer of 1944. This airport was once almost as big as Castiglione. The mild climate and perfect visibility still allow

1620-470: Is a list of the largest comuni in Italy, in descending order of surface area, according to ISTAT data referring to 9 October 2011. The provincial capitals are highlighted in bold. The following is a list of the smallest comuni in Italy, in ascending order of surface area, according to ISTAT data referring to 9 October 2011. The following is a list of the first comuni by altitude, in descending order. The indicated altitude coincides with

1701-673: Is a mythological figure, joined with Agilla, a nymph born in Agello, now a hill midway between Perugia and Trasimeno, formerly an island in the lake. The first civilization to inhabit this area was the Etruscans ; three of the main Etruscan cities - Perugia, Chiusi, and Cortona - are within 20 kilometres (12 mi) of the lake. Little physical evidence remains from the period of Etruscan or later Roman settlement. Castiglione del Lago has some Roman ruins and its main streets are structured like

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1782-454: Is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from sesto ( lit.   ' sixth ' ), so it is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example is the sestieri of Venice , but Ascoli Piceno , Genoa , Milan and Rapallo , for example, were also divided into sestieri . The medieval Lordship of Negroponte , on the island of Euboea , was also at times divided into six districts, each with

1863-609: Is a subdivision of several towns in Italy . The word derives from terzo ( lit.   ' third ' ) and is thus used only for towns divided into three neighborhoods. Terzieri are most commonly found in Umbria , for example in Trevi , Spello , Narni and Città della Pieve ; towns divided into terzieri in other regions include Lucca in Tuscany , and Ancona and Macerata in

1944-875: Is established for the entire perimeter of Lake Trasimeno for a distance of 150 meters from the shore of the lake and the shore of the islands. In the protected strip navigation is only permitted for craft having a maximum length of 9 meters at the waterline, propelled by oars or by sail, at a maximum speed of two knots. Exceptions apply to authorised boats propelled by motor only in the water in front of port areas or authorized landing places. There are ferryboats, 3 small, 2 medium, and two big (two decks) called Perusia and Agilla II, based in Passignano Port, also two dredges. There are ports in Castiglione del Lago (recently totally rebuilt), S. Arcangelo, S. Feliciano, Tuoro, and several minor anchorages. There are three islands in

2025-724: Is granted to comuni that have been awarded it by decree of the King of Italy (until 1946) or of the provisional head of state (from 1946 to 1948) or, subsequently, of the President of the Republic (after 1948), on the proposal of the Ministry of the Interior , to which the comune concerned sends an application for a concession, by virtue of their historical, artistic, civic or demographic importance. The comuni endowed with

2106-403: Is one such case, with annual precipitation of 850 mm (33 in) and characterized by waterlogged soils that require draining. Endorheic regions tend to be far inland with their boundaries defined by mountains or other geological features that block their access to oceans. Since the inflowing water can evacuate only through seepage or evaporation, dried minerals or other products collect in

2187-436: Is privately owned but unmaintained. It is one of the biggest castles of the area and the only one that, inside its sandstone walls, has a still untouched medieval keep. Some years ago it was probably inhabited, as there is a building fitted with a TV antenna, but now its only entry is closed. The best-preserved parts are the eastern and the southern walls, increasingly endangered because the wall's faults are enlarging. The rest of

2268-400: Is set at 257.33 AMSL . This level corresponds to a maximum depth of around 6m. Actions are planned to reduce the water level when it climbs above 257.60 AMSL , but since the maximum level was set the lake has reached that height only occasionally. After World War II, the lake's shores retreated a kilometre in the west (the eastern shore is deeper and more steeply sloped). In 1958 the water of

2349-485: Is still used as an association center. It was founded around 80 years ago and the buildings still exist near the Passignano sul Trasimeno railway station. This company made several types of aircraft, designed by eng. Sergio Stefanutti. Aircraft were tested at Eleuteri airport , only few kilometers away from this factory. SAI was involved mainly with Macchi during World War II. Eleuteri was also used as test center for

2430-401: Is still very good, as a study by conservation group Italia Nostra showed in 2005. This is believed to be largely due to the small population and a lack of large farms in the area. A proposal to drain the lake to solve the problems of malaria and depth changes was rejected. At the end of the 19th century, the level changes were solved by building a channel near San Feliciano . This also lessened

2511-411: The frazioni , but the comune still retains the name of the capoluogo . In some cases, a comune might not have the same name of capoluogo . In these cases, it is a comune sparso ( lit.   ' dispersed comune ' ) and the frazione which hosts the town hall ( municipio ) is a sede municipale (compare county seat ). Some towns refer to neighborhoods within

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2592-424: The piano regolatore generale ( lit.   ' general regulator plan ' ), a document that regulates the building activity within the communal area. All communal structures or schools, sports and cultural structures such as communal libraries, theaters, etc. are managed by the comuni . Comuni must have their own communal statute and have a climatic and seismic classification of their territory for

2673-671: The Ambrosini SS.4 , advanced canard aircraft, which crashed in the second flight and the project was abandoned. Trasimeno is relatively far from every major Italian city, the nearest of which is Perugia. The Foligno–Terontola railway was completed in 1866, with the main rail station in Terontola, which has been at the junction with the Florence–Rome railway since 1875. Smaller railway stations are in Passignano and Castiglione del Lago. Because of increased traffic, about 30 years ago

2754-627: The Bonneville flood . The Malheur / Harney lake system in Oregon is normally cut off from drainage to the ocean, but has an outflow channel to the Malheur River . This is presently dry, but may have flowed as recently as 1,000 years ago. Examples of relatively humid regions in endorheic basins often exist at high elevation. These regions tend to be marshy and are subject to substantial flooding in wet years. The area containing Mexico City

2835-485: The Marches . The medieval Lordship of Negroponte , on the island of Euboea , was also divided into three distinct rulerships, which were known as terzieri . A quartiere ( Italian: [kwarˈtjɛːre] ; pl. : quartieri ) is a territorial subdivision, properly used, for towns divided into four neighborhoods ( quarto ; lit.   ' fourth ' ) by the two main roads. It has been later used as

2916-942: The Sahara Desert , the Sahel , the Kalahari Desert , and the East African Rift : Endorheic lakes exist in Antarctica's McMurdo Dry Valleys , Victoria Land , the largest ice-free area. Much of Western and Central Asia is a giant endorheic region made up of a number of contiguous closed basins. The region contains several basins and terminal lakes, including: Other endorheic lakes and basins in Asia include: Australia , being very dry and having exceedingly low runoff ratios due to its ancient soils, has many endorheic drainages. The most important are: Though

2997-403: The largemouth bass , European perch , big-scale sand smelt , topmouth gudgeon and common carp . The growing populations of goldfish, carp and gudgeon are linked to their greater tolerance for more turbid, higher-temperature water with less dissolved oxygen. Pumpkinseed has been introduced to the lake and was recorded in large numbers in 1966, but is considered to be a locally rare species in

3078-644: The province of Isernia has 81,415 inhabitants in 52  comuni , or 1,640 inhabitants per comune – roughly 24 times more communal units per inhabitant. The coats of arms of the comuni are assigned by decree of the Prime Minister of Italy by the Office of State Ceremonial and Honors, Honors and Heraldry Service (division of the Presidency of the Council born from the transformation of

3159-525: The title of città ( lit.   ' city ' ). Formed praeter legem according to the principles consolidated in medieval municipalities , the comune is provided for by article 114 of the Constitution of Italy . It can be divided into frazioni , which in turn may have limited power due to special elective assemblies. In the autonomous region of the Aosta Valley ,

3240-433: The 1950s. There were other problems, since Trasimeno was fought over by Chiusi , Panicale , Perugia, and Florence . Florentine troops demolished Polvese in the 17th century, beginning its decline, until by the 19th century there was only a caretaker. Of the many houses, nothing remains. Minore Isle, near Maggiore, is now uninhabited, totally covered by local vegetation except for a small anchorage. In ancient times, there

3321-613: The Northern Great Plains are endorheic, and some have salt encrustations along their shores. Some of Earth's ancient endorheic systems and lakes include: Comune A comune ( Italian: [koˈmuːne] ; pl. : comuni , Italian: [koˈmuːni] ) is an administrative division of Italy , roughly equivalent to a township or municipality . It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ( regioni ) and provinces ( province ). The comune can also have

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3402-500: The Royal Consulta Araldica , eliminated pursuant to the provisions final of the Constitution of Italy ). Administrative subdivisions within comuni vary according to their population size. Comuni with at least 250,000 residents are divided into circoscrizioni (roughly equivalent to French arrondissements or London boroughs ) to which the comune delegates administrative functions like

3483-493: The balance between tectonic subsidence and rates of evaporation and sedimentation. Where the basin floor is dropping more rapidly than water and sediments can accumulate, any lake in the basin will remain below the sill level (the level at which water can find a path out of the basin). Low rainfall or rapid evaporation in the watershed favor this case. In areas where rainfall is higher, riparian erosion will generally carve drainage channels (particularly in times of flood), or cause

3564-460: The basin, eventually making the water saline and also making the basin vulnerable to pollution. Continents vary in their concentration of endorheic regions due to conditions of geography and climate. Australia has the highest percentage of endorheic regions at 21 per cent while North America has the least at five per cent. Approximately 18 per cent of the Earth's land drains to endorheic lakes or seas,

3645-406: The battle is the place named Sanguineto , whose name is connected with the Italian term sangue meaning "blood" or, probably, "bloody place." The Trasimeno climate is fairly warm, with moderate winters. Summers can be very warm and humid, but in general the lake moderates the climate both in cold and warm conditions because even shallow water gives a moderate thermic inertia. From May to September,

3726-526: The capital of the province of Reggio Emilia , in the Emilia-Romagna region, and Reggio di Calabria , the capital of the homonymous metropolitan city , in the Calabria region. Many other towns or villages are likewise partial homonyms (e.g. Anzola dell'Emilia and Anzola d'Ossola , or Bagnara Calabra and Bagnara di Romagna ). The title of città ( lit.   ' city ' ) in Italy

3807-416: The coalition of the elected mayor (who needs a relative majority or an absolute majority in the first or second round of voting, depending on the population) gains three fifths of the consiglio 's seats. The giunta comunale is chaired by the mayor, who appoints others members, called assessori , one of whom serves as deputy mayor ( vicesindaco ). The offices of the comune are housed in

3888-564: The degree that a lake no longer forms. Even most permanent endorheic lakes change size and shape dramatically over time, often becoming much smaller or breaking into several smaller parts during the dry season. As humans have expanded into previously uninhabitable desert areas, the river systems that feed many endorheic lakes have been altered by the construction of dams and aqueducts. As a result, many endorheic lakes in developed or developing countries have contracted dramatically, resulting in increased salinity, higher concentrations of pollutants, and

3969-440: The disruption of ecosystems. Even within exorheic basins, there can be "non-contributing", low-lying areas that trap runoff and prevent it from contributing to flows downstream during years of average or below-average runoff. In flat river basins, non-contributing areas can be a large fraction of the river basin, e.g. Lake Winnipeg 's basin. A lake may be endorheic during dry years and can overflow its basin during wet years, e.g.,

4050-454: The effects of climate change, which consist primarily of decreasing water levels due to lowered precipitation and increased evaporation rates, alongside reduced transparency, less dissolved oxygen and higher salinization caused by the gradual warming and shrinking of the lake. As the exotic species mostly have wider habitat preferences than the native species, the changing environmental conditions have allowed them to further establish themselves as

4131-783: The former Tulare Lake . Because the Earth's climate has recently been through a warming and drying phase with the end of the Ice Ages, many endorheic areas such as Death Valley that are now dry deserts were large lakes relatively recently. During the last ice age, the Sahara may have contained lakes larger than any now existing. Climate change coupled with the mismanagement of water in these endorheic regions has led to devastating losses in ecosystem services and toxic surges of pollutants. The desiccation of saline lakes produces fine dust particles that impair agriculture productivity and harm human health. Anthropogenic activity has also caused

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4212-518: The lake and the Mediterranean Sea ; restocking programs have been implemented in response to this. The rovella and the spined loach have historically been native to the lake, but have not been recorded in modern samplings and are considered to be locally extinct. The extinction of the rovella is linked to the introduction of non-native pumpkinseed , which competed with it for food and habitat, and to decreasing rates in dissolve oxygen in

4293-525: The lake reached the lowest recorded level, at -2.63m vs reference level. Since 1958 the level increased again to reach reference level in June 1989. After the water level started again to fall, and in 2003 the shore retreated over 100 metres (328 ft) and the level fell in October 2003 to -1.85m vs reference. From 2004 to the summer of 2006, there was plenty of rain. 150 mm (6 in) of rain fell during

4374-490: The lake, presently peaceable but with a history of violent warfare, in her poem [REDACTED] Lake Thrasymene ., published in 1827. Endorheic basin An endorheic basin ( / ˌ ɛ n d oʊ ˈ r iː . ɪ k / EN -doh- REE -ik ; also endoreic basin and endorreic basin ) is a drainage basin that normally retains water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water (e.g. rivers and oceans ); instead,

4455-466: The lake. The largest of these islands is Isola Polvese , almost 1 km. The second largest, Isola Maggiore , is the only inhabited one. The small fishing village, which reached its height in the 14th century, today has only around thirty residents. Most of the buildings, including the ruins of a Franciscan monastery, date from the 14th century. Maggiore is a 'hill', whereas Polvese is a more complex structure with plains and hills, and Minore resembles

4536-422: The largest of these land areas being the interior of Asia. In deserts, water inflow is low and loss to solar evaporation high, drastically reducing the formation of complete drainage systems . In the extreme case, where there is no discernible drainage system, the basin is described as arheic . Closed water flow areas often lead to the concentration of salts and other minerals in the basin. Minerals leached from

4617-488: The last 20 days of August 2005 and over 700 mm (28 in) during the remaining part of the year. During the following five years rain was insufficient (especially in 2006 and 2007 winters were very dry and summers hot) so by October 2012 the water level was -1.51 m vs the reference. Fortunately, since 2012 the winters have been very rainy so the level of the lake has progressively increased to reach in February 2014

4698-463: The malaria problem. Three million years ago, there was a shallow sea in this part of Umbria . A depression formed by geologic fractures allowed the present-day Lake Trasimeno to form. Historically, Trasimeno was known as the Lake of Perugia , being important for northwestern Umbria and for the Tuscan Chiana district. In prehistoric times, this lake extended almost to Perugia. Trasimeno

4779-421: The most populated. Atrani in the province of Salerno ( Campania ) was the smallest comune by area, with only 0.1206 km (0.0466 sq mi), and Morterone ( Lombardy ) is the smallest by population. Many present-day comuni trace their roots along timescales spanning centuries and at times millennia. The northernmost comune is Predoi , the southernmost one Lampedusa e Linosa ,

4860-428: The native fishes decline. Decline of native species is also affected by the reduction in the lake's native vegetation, such as macrophytes and the reed Phragmites australis . Commercially important native species include southern pike , tench , and European eel . The southern pike has been declining as a result of reduction in the lake's aquatic vegetation, as pikes use water plants for cover during hunting and as

4941-464: The other. The water level is usually at its minimum level after summer (in September or October) and at its highest during spring (in April or May). Trasimeno has high hills to the east, which help to capture rain and partially protect the lake from cold eastern winds. Most of the water in the lake comes from the network of streams on the western side of the lake. The reference water level of the lake

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5022-469: The present. Half of Trasimeno is surrounded by hills, rich in olives that are an important agricultural resource. On the western shore, near Tuscany, there are vineyards, and fruit and vegetables are grown. The hills are much lower and the climate is warmer. Monte Subasio near Assisi , about 70 km (43 mi) to the east, and Monte Amiata , about 70 km (43 mi) to the west, can be seen. The vegetation includes pines, willows and poplars around

5103-466: The purposes of hazard mitigation and civil protection . Comuni also deal with the waste management . It is headed by a mayor ( sindaco or sindaca ) assisted by a legislative body, the consiglio comunale ( lit.   ' communal council ' ), and an executive body, the giunta comunale ( lit.   ' communal committee ' ). The mayor and members of the consiglio comunale are elected together by resident citizens:

5184-614: The reference level. In April 2014 the water level increased further to reach 0.30 m above the reference. A channel from the reservoir at Montedoglio in Tuscany to supply agriculture and lakeside towns (and thereby eliminate the need to draw water from the lake) was opened in 2012. The inhabitants of the communes around Trasimeno and the Umbrian people have successfully protected their lake, whose waters are fit for swimming and whose valleys and islands are intact environments. In 1995

5265-443: The running of schools, social services and waste collection; the delegated functions vary from comune to comune . These bodies are headed by an elected president and a local council. Smaller comuni usually comprise: Sometimes a frazione might be more populated than the capoluogo ; and rarely, owing to unusual circumstances (like depopulation), the town hall and its administrative functions can be moved to one of

5346-458: The shores, many over 30 m tall. The main towns are Passignano sul Trasimeno , Tuoro, Monte del Lago , Torricella , San Feliciano , San Arcangelo , Castiglione del Lago , and Borghetto. Castiglione del Lago has the longest shore, being on the only significant peninsula of the lake. This may have been an island that was joined to the shore by the Romans. Surrounding the lake are old small towns, and isolated castles, like Zocco castle and

5427-599: The surrounding rocks are deposited in the basin, and left behind when the water evaporates. Thus endorheic basins often contain extensive salt pans (also called salt flats, salt lakes, alkali flats , dry lake beds, or playas). These areas tend to be large, flat hardened surfaces and are sometimes used for aviation runways , or land speed record attempts, because of their extensive areas of perfectly level terrain. Both permanent and seasonal endorheic lakes can form in endorheic basins. Some endorheic basins are essentially stable because climate change has reduced precipitation to

5508-465: The temperature is high enough to allow swimming. In 1929, a cold winter froze the whole of the lake's surface, and cars could be driven over the ice. Cold winters in 1957, 1985 and 2002 caused heavy damage to the olive trees nearby. A less severe freeze happened in 1991. Given the latitude of the lake, freezing remains a rare occurrence. The water level of the lake is very dependent on the amount of seasonal rain and can change significantly from one year to

5589-429: The title of città usually carry the golden crown above their coat of arms, except with different provisions in the decree approving the coat of arms or in the presence). "The crown of the city ([...]) is formed by a golden circle opened by eight city gates (five visible) with two cordoned walls on the margins, supporting eight towers (five visible) joined by curtain walls, all in gold and black walled." The following

5670-552: The use of this airport for air meetings. A social center exists in the former airport. A major watercourse, the Paganico torrent , separated the airport from the town. Before this airport was constructed, there was a hydroscale in Castiglione del Lago. On the opposite shore, in Passignano, around 10 km (6 mi) away, there was an aircraft factory, the SAI Ambrosini . This is now abandoned as an industrial center, but

5751-577: The walls are mostly demolished or have fallen down. One of the southern towers has two enormous cracks in the middle. The Vernazzano leaning tower (N43 13.210 E12 06.084), around 20 metres (66 ft) in height, leans like the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa . This unique remnant of an ancient castle was built before 1089, when the Marchiones family donated the whole castle to the monastery of Città di Castello . In 1202, it fell under control of Perugia and this city gained control of Northern Trasimeno. It

5832-517: The water drainage flows into permanent and seasonal lakes and swamps that equilibrate through evaporation . Endorheic basins are also called closed basins , terminal basins , and internal drainage systems . Endorheic regions contrast with open lakes (exorheic regions), where surface waters eventually drain into the ocean. In general, water basins with subsurface outflows that lead to the ocean are not considered endorheic; but cryptorheic . Endorheic basins constitute local base levels , defining

5913-428: The water level in the terminal lake to rise until it finds an outlet, breaking the enclosed endorheic hydrological system's geographical barrier and opening it to the surrounding terrain. The Black Sea was likely such a lake, having once been an independent hydrological system before the Mediterranean Sea broke through the terrain separating the two. Lake Bonneville was another such lake, overflowing its basin in

5994-507: The water. Goldfish were introduced to the lake in 1988 and today make up the most common species in its fish community. Their presence has caused significant disruptions to the lake ecosystem, as their feeding on the lake bottom destroys hydrophyte coverage and stirs up sediment into the water column, increasing turbidity and causing phytoplankton blooms . They are also known to negatively impact tench populations due to competing with them for food and habitat. Other introduced species include

6075-530: The westernmost Bardonecchia and the easternmost Otranto . The comune with the longest name is San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore , while the comuni with the shortest name are Lu , Ro , Ne , Re and Vo' . The population density of the comuni varies widely by province and region . The province of Barletta-Andria-Trani , for example, has 381,091 inhabitants in 10 comuni , or over 39,000 inhabitants per comune ; whereas

6156-427: The word is occasionally found: the comune of Leonessa , for example, is divided into sesti or sixths. There are not many perfect homonymous comuni . There are only six cases in 12 comuni : This is mostly due to the fact the name of the province or region was appended to the name of the comune in order to avoid the confusion. Two provincial capitals share the name Reggio : Reggio nell'Emilia ,

6237-407: Was a separation between the two communities, because Polvese was far away from Maggiore-Minore. According to local stories, the two communities fought against each other but the real problems were from the regional 'powers' that fought over this lake for centuries. A fishing technique, called 'Tuoro' or 'pesca da tuori', was used locally. This complex system consisted of a wooden trap in the water and

6318-669: Was built in 1898, flowing into the Caina, the Nestore, and eventually the Tiber . The shallow waters meant that malarial mosquitoes prospered. To combat malaria , some mosquito larvae-eating fish were imported from the United States during the 1950s. These fish are widely scattered, and some live in the lakes near Trasimeno. Although billions of larvae are eaten, there are still many mosquitoes and other insects. The lake's water quality

6399-470: Was built in the late 19th century on the foundation of an old Franciscan church, and for many years was a popular place in the Trasimeno area. Until 1998 it was still visitable, then it was closed because the structure became dangerously unstable. It is now being restored by a new proprietor, but the work is far from completed. Between Monte del Lago and S.Feliciano is Zocco castle , ruined for decades. It

6480-401: Was built on M.te Castiglione, near two rivers. The castle and the surrounding settlement at Vernazzano, were damaged by wars in 15th century and two centuries later, by a strong earthquake and after-shocks. Erosion of the foundations by water caused the tower to lean in the 18th century. Vernazzano was rebuilt in the valley, away from this site, which had been effective for territorial control but

6561-399: Was less well-suited for living in. The Leaning Tower has therefore been abandoned for almost 300 years. To avoid its collapse, a steel reinforcement was recently added, with plates and wires as thick as 2 to 3 cm (0.8 to 1.2 in). The Tower is not well known, being located away from the main streets. It is visible from far away, but not easily accessible. Lydia Sigourney reflects on

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