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 environmentLake 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

DucksPochards 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 MarshesA 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