| Lake Albano | |
|---|---|
| Lago Albano (Italian) | |
 The lake | |
  Lake Albano | |
| Location | Alban Hills |
| Coordinates | 41°45′0″N12°39′54″E / 41.75000°N 12.66500°E /41.75000; 12.66500 |
| Type | crater lake |
| Basin countries | Italy |
| Surface area | 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 170 m (560 ft) |
Lake Albano (Italian:Lago Albano orLago di Castel Gandolfo) is a smallvolcanic crater lake in theAlban Hills ofLazio, at the foot ofMonte Cavo, 20 km (12 mi) southeast ofRome.Castel Gandolfo, overlooking the lake, is the site of thePapal Palace of Castel Gandolfo.
It hosted thecanoeing androwing events of the1960 Summer Olympic Games that were held in Rome.[1] The lane marking system developed for these events is commonly referred to as theAlbano buoy system.
InRoman times, it was known asAlbanus Lacus and lay not far from the ancient city ofAlba Longa.
With a depth of about 170 m (560 ft), Lake Albano is the deepest in Lazio. The lake is 3.5 km (2.2 mi) long by 2.3 km (1.4 mi) wide, and was formed by the overlapping union of two volcanic craters, an origin indicated by the ridge in its center, which rises to a height of 70 m (230 ft).Plutarch reports that in 406 BC the lake surged over the surrounding hills, despite there being no rain nor tributaries flowing into the lake to account for the rise in water level.[2] The ensuing flood destroyed fields and vineyards before eventually pouring into the sea. It is thought to have been alimnic eruption caused by volcanic gases, trapped in sediment at the bottom of the lake and gradually building up until suddenly releasing, causing the water to overflow.[3]
Around 395 BC, during the wars between Rome andVeii, a discharge tunnel was built crossing the crater walls.It served as anemissary to control flooding of the lake, and was a gigantic work given the modest means of the time. It is said that it was built by 30,000 men.
The tunnel is 1350 m long, 1.20 m wide and 2 m high. Five vertical access shafts are known and it runs 128 m below the surface.[4] The exit was originally 13 m below the level of the lake, but today it is higher due to the lowering of the level. It begins about 500 m beyond the nymphaeum of Bergantino, and comes out on the other side in the Mole di Castel Gandolfo locality, where the water flow drove multiplewatermills.[5]
According toTitus Livius, this feat of engineering was incited by theOracle of Delphi: the Romanvictory against Veii would be possible only when the lake waters were channeled and used for irrigation.[6]
During Rome's war withVeii in 393 BC, the level of Lake Albano rose to an unusual height even in the absence of rain. This prodigy was believed to be relevant to the siege ofVeii because aharuspex from Veii recited some lines of a prophecy that illustrated the relationship between the level of its waters and either the safety or the fall of the town to the Romans. It foretold that as long as the waters of the lake remained high, Veii would be impregnable to the Romans. If the waters of the lake were scattered in an inland direction, Veii would fall; but if they were to overflow through the usual streams or channels toward the sea, this would be unfavourable to the Romans as well.[7]
Dumézil ascribed this story to the Roman custom of projecting religious legendary heritage onto history, considering it to be a festival myth aimed at giving relevance to an exceptional event which would have happened during theNeptunalia. This legend showed the scope of the powers hidden in waters and the religious importance of their control by man: Veientans too knowing the fact had been digging channels for a long time as recent archaeological finds confirm. There is a temporal coincidence between the conjuration of the prodigy and the works of derivation[clarification needed] recommended byPalladius andColumella at the time of thecanicula, when the waters are at their lowest.[8]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Cited by Bloch p. 346.
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41°45′0″N12°39′54″E / 41.75000°N 12.66500°E /41.75000; 12.66500
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