Lake Massaciuccoli:  nature and music

Lake Massaciuccoli’s perimeter is 10 kilometres

Lake and marshes cover about 2000 hectares Separated from the Tyrrhenian Sea by 4 kms of land

Shores were more extended in the past

Depth between 3 and 4 metres Sea coming up to the lake in the Roman era →important commercial port

THE OASIS OF MASSACIUCCOLI

It is in Tuscany within the National Park of San Rossore

Established in 1985

Characterised by all the environments associated with lakes

Clear water and marshland have an extension of about 47 hectares

Archeological Area Natural environment Lake Massaciuccoli and Music

THE VISIT OF THE OASIS OF MASSACIUCCOLI

Mansio : tavern where travellers on the road between Pisa and Massa could stop and eat

Archeological Area

Roman Villa (1st – 2nd centuries A.D.)

Remains of roman spa bath (1st-2nd centuries A.D.)

Baths consisting in frigidarium , tepidarium and calidarium

Differences between frigidarium and calidarium

The pathways : small wooden walkways suspended over the marsh

What they are

Why they are needed : to make accessible an area not ready for visits

to contemplate the flora and fauna of the lake

Methods of construction in the past and in the present

Problems of the lake

The water is not limpid but brown

Reasons:

Result :

excessive growth of brown weeds

use of chemical substances in the surrounding fields

weeds getting into competition with one another and producing toxic substances

death of fish living in the lake

A more detailed investigation into the problems of the lake

Negative elements :

Negative consequences :

eutrophication of the water

silting up of its bed

algae don’t allow the sun rays to filter through algae reproducing in exponential manner

the process of photosynthesis of marine plants cannot be completed fish disappears because of lack of oxigen and food

Typical flora : sedge and marsh-cane

FLORA

Limited area with varieties of plantlife unique in the marshes of Southern Europe

because of land reclamation part of the Flora and Fauna has been eliminated

166 plant species :

waterlilies

dropwort

marsh cane

yellow iris

fen euphorbia

pink hibiscus

formation of floating islands

Negative aspect :

Typical phenomenon :

Fauna

Penetration from neighbouring environments → changes of the local Fauna

Ideal route for migratory birds passing through or wintering here

Different types of birds :

grey herons

little egret

flamingo

black-winged silt

cormorant ,, ,, , , etc.

osprey

Ducks Pochards

Dun-birds Coots

Priority : delicate ecological balance must be preserved

Museum of the Ecology of the Marshes

Specimen of Gambusia in the Museum of the Ecology of the Marshes A grey heron

Lake Massaciuccoli and Music

Lake also famous for the great musician Giacomo Puccini

He lived in a house on the shores of the lake

Refuge and place of inspiration

Love for hunting ; artist friends

“ …supreme joy, paradise, Eden,spiritual basin, extraordinary sunsets …”

“ I’d like to listen to one of my operas in the open air “

Home to Festival Puccini

1930 La Boheme performed in a temporary theatre on the lake

1966 Open Air Theatre on reclaimed land with the lake in the background

2008 New Grand Open-Air Theatre inaugurated on the 150th anniversary of the birth