Porto Ercole | |
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  Porto Ercole Location of Porto Ercole in Italy | |
| Coordinates:42°23′38″N11°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 | Portercolesi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 58018 |
| Dialing code | 0564 |
| Website | Official website |
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Porto Ercole (Italian:[ˈpɔrtoˈɛrkole]) is an Italian town located in themunicipality ofMonte Argentario, in theProvince of Grosseto,Tuscany. It is one of the two major towns that form the township, along withPorto Santo Stefano. Its name means "PortHercules". It is one ofI Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy").[1]
The resort is located on the eastern side of Monte Argentariopromontory, and is 40 kilometres (25 miles) fromGrosseto, 7 km (4.3 mi) fromOrbetello and about 12 km (7.5 mi) from Porto Santo Stefano. To the north of Porto Ercole are located theLaguna di Orbetello and theTombolo della Feniglia.
Porto Ercole was first mentioned in 1296, when MargheritaAldobrandeschi, countess ofSovana, ordered the construction of a tower namedTorre di Terra, the oldest core of the town.[2]
In 1610, the Italian Baroque painterCaravaggio, exiled by the Pope, died in Porto Ercole on his way back to Rome and was buried in a local church.[2][3][4] TheDutch royal family maintained a summer residence here in the latter half of the twentieth century.[5]
Porto Ercole was once connected by rail toOrbetello 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.[6][7]
It counts two harbours: Porto Vecchio, the old town's port, and Cala Galera, located in a northern bay.[8]
Caravaggio, Italy; since 1973[9]
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