Monte Argentario is a ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local 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 can also ...

'' (municipality) and a peninsula belonging to the

Province of Grosseto The province of Grosseto ( it, links=no, provincia di Grosseto) is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto. As of 2013 the province had a total population of 225,098 people. Geography The Province of Gro ...

in the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

region

Tuscany it, Toscano (man) it, Toscana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Citizenship , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = Italian , demogra ...

, located about south of

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

and about south of

Grosseto Grosseto () is a city and ''comune'' in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain on the Ombrone river. It is the ...

. The peninsula is connected with the mainland by three spits of land which form two lagoons, the ''Laguna di Ponente'' on the west side and the ''Laguna di Levante'' on the east side of the middle dam. The two main villages on Monte Argentario are

Porto Santo Stefano Porto Santo Stefano () is a seaport town on the west coast of Italy, in the municipality of Monte Argentario, in the Province of Grosseto, Tuscany. It is the municipal seat of Monte Argentario and one of the two major towns that form the town ...

, chief town, facing north, and

Porto Ercole Porto Ercole () 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". ...

facing south. The panoramic road ''Strada panoramica'' starts in Porto Santo Stefano allowing splendid views of the coast and the Tuscan Archipelago. Monte Argentario borders the ''comune'' of

Orbetello Orbetello is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Grosseto ( Tuscany), Italy. It is located about south of Grosseto, on the eponymous lagoon, which is home to an important Natural Reserve. History Orbetello was an ancient Etruscan sett ...

, which is located on the middle dam between the two lagoons.

Geography

Monte Argentario is a promontory stretching towards the

Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (; it, Mar Tirreno , french: Mer Tyrrhénienne , sc, Mare Tirrenu, co, Mari Tirrenu, scn, Mari Tirrenu, nap, Mare Tirreno) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenian pe ...

in correspondence of the two southernmost islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, Giglio and Giannutri. The promontory was an island in the past, but the sea currents and the

Albegna The Albegna is a river in southern Tuscany, the sources of which are located in province of Grosseto on the southern side of Monte Buceto, the southwestern part of the volcanic cone of Mount Amiata, along with the northern side of Monte Aquilai ...

river joined it with the mainland through two so-called tomboli (stretches of land), the Tombolo of

Giannella Giannella is a village in Tuscany, central Italy, administratively a frazione of the comune of Orbetello, province of Grosseto, in the Tuscan Maremma. At the time of the 2001 census its population amounted to 160.Porto Santo Stefano Porto Santo Stefano () is a seaport town on the west coast of Italy, in the municipality of Monte Argentario, in the Province of Grosseto, Tuscany. It is the municipal seat of Monte Argentario and one of the two major towns that form the town ...

. The other main settlement in the township is

. Argentarola cave lies close to Argentario promontory. The high quality

speleothem A speleothem (; ) is a geological formation by mineral deposits that accumulate over time in natural caves. Speleothems most commonly form in calcareous caves due to carbonate dissolution reactions. They can take a variety of forms, dependi ...

s that have been collected from this cave have allowed scientists to study the 215,000 year history of sea-level oscillations in this region.

History

The promontory, probably already inhabited by the

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, roug ...

, was a personal property of the

Domitii Ahenobarbi Ahenobarbus (Latin, 'red-beard', literally 'bronze-beard'), also spelled Aenobarbus or Ænobarbus, may refer to: * Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (disambiguation), Romans * Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (disambiguation), Romans * Lucius Domitius Ahen ...

family, who obtained it in return for the money they lent to the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...

in the

Punic Wars The Punic Wars were a series of wars between 264 and 146BC fought between Rome and Carthage. Three conflicts between these states took place on both land and sea across the western Mediterranean region and involved a total of forty-three ye ...

. The current name probably finds its origin here, since '' Argentarii'' was the name of money lenders in ancient Rome. Later an imperial possession, it was ceded to the church by

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...

in the 4th century AD. In the Middle Ages, due to the reduced traffic passing on the nearby

Via Aurelia The ''Via Aurelia'' (Latin for "Aurelian Way") is a Roman road in Italy constructed in approximately 241 BC. The project was undertaken by Gaius Aurelius Cotta, who at that time was censor.Hornblower, Simon, & Antony Spawforth. ''The Oxford Cl ...

, the area was sparsely settled. In the heart of the Middle Ages, the promontory became a possession of the Monastery of San Paolo in Rome. It represented in the so-called Carolingian Gate at the Monastery of St. Anastius outside Rome. Following the history of Orbetello, the promontory was a possession of the

Aldobrandeschi The Aldobrandeschi were an Italian noble family from southern Tuscany. Overview Of probable Lombard origin, they appear in history as counts in the 9th century. The first known count was Hildebrand II (857). Their possession extended to what i ...

, the

Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following: *Angel ...

, King

Ladislaus of Naples Ladislaus the Magnanimous ( it, Ladislao, hu, László; 15 February 1377 – 6 August 1414) was King of Naples from 1386 until his death and an unsuccessful claimant to the kingdoms of Hungary and Croatia. Ladislaus was a skilled political and m ...

and

Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...

, until

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

acquired it in the late 16th century. The Spaniards heavily fortified the two ports, as the main stronghold of the

State of Presidi The State of the ''Presidi'' ( it, Stato dei Presidi,. In french: État des Présides. Dhondt uses "Tuscan ''presidia''". meaning "state of the garrisons") was a small territory in Italy between 1557 and 1801. It consisted of the remnants of t ...

. In 1815, after

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

's defeat, the Argentario was handed over to the

Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany ( it, Granducato di Toscana; la, Magnus Ducatus Etruriae) was an Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Republic of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence. In th ...

, to which it belonged until 1860, when it became part of the newly united

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...

. The painter Michelangelo Merisi, known as

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of h ...

, died of a fever at Porto Ercole in 1610. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the settlements of Argentario were heavily bombed, with numerous losses. The port of Santo Stefano was destroyed, and was rebuilt only in the 1950s. The railway that connected Orbetello to the mainland was never rebuilt.

Main sights

*''Monastery of the Presentation'' and Punta Telegrafo. *''Rocca Spagnola'' (Spanish Fortress), in Porto Santo Stefano. *''Forte Filippo ''and ''Forte Stella'', in Porto Ercole. *The church of St. Erasmus, in the historical centre of Porto Ercole, not far from the ''Porta Pisana''. *The ''Via panoramica'' (Panoramic Road), running alongside the coast. * Argentario Aquarium

Notable people

(1571–1610), artist *

Paul of the Cross Paul of the Cross (; born Paolo Francesco Danei; 3 January 1694 – 18 October 1775) was an Italian Roman Catholic mystic, and founder of the Passionists. Biography Paul of the Cross, originally named Paolo Francesco Danei, was born on 3 J ...

(1694–1775), mystic, and founder of the Passionists *

Susanna Agnelli Susanna Agnelli, Contessa Rattazzi, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (24 April 1922 – 15 May 2009) was an Italian politician, businesswoman and writer. She was the first woman to be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in Italy. Early life Born ...

(1922–2009), politician, former mayor of Monte Argentario *

Juliana of the Netherlands Juliana (; Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina; 30 April 1909 – 20 March 2004) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980. Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. ...

(1909–2004), Queen of the Netherlands *

Benedetta Barzini Benedetta Barzini (born 22 September 1943 in Porto Santo Stefano)BENEDETTA BARZINI
VOGUE ...

(born 1943), actress and model *

Giorgetto Giugiaro Giorgetto Giugiaro (; born 7 August 1938) is an Italian automotive designer. He has worked on supercars and popular everyday vehicles. He was born in Garessio, Cuneo, Piedmont. Giugiaro was named Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and inducted ...

(born 1938), designer * Jessica Brando (born 1994), singer * Luca Coscioni (1967–2006), economist and politician * Angelo Cardinal Comastri (born 1943), Bishop of Massa Marittima-Piombino, later named cardinal *

Pino Luongo Giuseppe "Pino" Luongo (born 1952/1953) is an American-based Italian restaurateur, businessman, and memoirist. He owned or co-owned current and former restaurants including Il Cantinori, Le Madri, Centolire, Coco Pazzo (New York and Chicago), ...

(born 1953), New York restaurateur; cookbook writer and memoirist * Jorge Chaminé (born 1956), baritone *

Guido Carli Guido Carli (28 March 1914 – 23 April 1993) was an Italian banker, economist and politician. His father was the prominent fascist sociologist Filippo Carli. Biography He was the son of Filippo Carli (1876–1938), a university professor of ...

(1914–93), banker, economist and politician *

Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Giangiacomo Feltrinelli (; 19 June 1926 – 14 March 1972) was an influential Italian publisher, businessman, and political activist who was active in the period between the Second World War and Italy's Years of Lead. He founded a vast library ...

(1926–1972), publisher *

Rossana Podestà Rossana Podestà (born Carla Dora Podestà; 20 June 1934 – 10 December 2013) was an Italian actress who worked mainly in Italy from the 1950s to the 1970s. Biography Podestà was born in Tripoli in the Italian colony of Libya. She spent her f ...

(1934–2013), actress *

Olin Stephens Olin James Stephens II (April 13, 1908 – September 13, 2008) was an American yacht designer. Stephens was born in New York City, but spent his summers with his brother Rod, learning to sail on the New England coast. He also attended the Massa ...

(1908–2008), American yacht designer *

Andrei Sakharov Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov ( rus, Андрей Дмитриевич Сахаров, p=ɐnˈdrʲej ˈdmʲitrʲɪjevʲɪtɕ ˈsaxərəf; 21 May 192114 December 1989) was a Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident, nobel laureate and activist for n ...

(1921–89), Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident and human rights activist *

Don Lurio Donald Benjamin Lurio, better known by his stage name of Don Lurio (15 November 1929, in New York City – 26 January 2003, in Rome) was an American-born Jewish Italian dancer, choreographer and TV presenter for RAI, the Italian radio and television ...

, (1929–2003), dancer, choreographer and presenter *

Amintore Fanfani Amintore Fanfani (; 6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and statesman, who served as 32nd prime minister of Italy for five separate terms. He was one of the best-known Italian politicians after the Second World War and ...

(1908–99), economist and politician *

Raffaella Carrà Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni (18 June 1943 – 5 July 2021), better known as Raffaella Carrà (), was an Italian singer, dancer, television presenter, actress and model. She was well known in Europe and Latin America as a result of her many ...

(1943–2021), singer, dancer, television presenter, and actress.

References

External links