Porto Ercole

Porto Ercole
Frazione
Porto Ercole

Location of Porto Ercole in Italy

Coordinates: IT 42°23′38″N 11°12′13″E / 42.39389°N 11.20361°E / 42.39389; 11.20361Coordinates: IT 42°23′38″N 11°12′13″E / 42.39389°N 11.20361°E / 42.39389; 11.20361
Country  Italy
Region  Tuscany
Province Grosseto (GR)
Comune Monte Argentario
Elevation 5 m (16 ft)
Population (2001)
 • Total 2,810
Demonym(s) Portercolesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 58018
Dialing code 0564
Website Official website
Governors Palace

Porto Ercole (Italian: [ˈpɔrto ˈɛrkole]) is an Italian town located in the municipality of Monte Argentario, in the Province of Grosseto, Tuscany. It is one of the two major towns that form the township, along with Porto Santo Stefano. Its name means "Port Hercules".

Geography

The resort is located on the eastern side of Monte Argentario promontory, and is 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Grosseto, 7 km (4.3 mi) from Orbetello and about 12 km (7.5 mi) from Porto Santo Stefano. To the north of Porto Ercole are located the Laguna di Orbetello and the Tombolo della Feniglia.

History

Porto Ercole was first mentioned in 1296, when Margherita Aldobrandeschi, countess of Savona, ordered the construction of a tower named Torre di Terra, the oldest core of the town.[1]

In 1610, the Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio, exiled by the Pope, died in Porto Ercole on his way back to Rome and was buried in a local church.[1][2][3] The Dutch Royal Family maintained a summer residence here in the latter half of the twentieth century.[4]

Transportation

Porto Ercole was once connected by rail to Orbetello via a small rail line to Porto Santo Stefano, closed in 1944. The former station, named Porto Ercole-Terrarossa, was located 4 km from the town, in the hamlet of Terrarossa.[5][6]

It counts two harbours: Porto Vecchio, the old town's port, and Cala Galera, located in a northern bay.[7]

Twin towns

Photogallery

See also

References

  1. 1 2 (Italian) Municipal history of Monte Argentario
  2. ↑ Church bones 'belong to Caravaggio', researchers say (BBC website)
  3. ↑ Vatican reveals Caravaggio painting 'found' in Rome (BBC website)
  4. ↑ "361", Greenwich Concours d'Elegance Auction (Auction Catalogue), New York, NY: Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers, date of sale 2013-06-02, p. 160, Sale Number 21153 Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ↑ (Italian) Infos at ferrovieabbandonate.it
  6. ↑ it:Ferrovia Orbetello-Porto Santo Stefano
  7. ↑ (Italian) Port of Cala Galera website
  8. ↑ (Italian) Infos at tuscanytravels.info

External links

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