The Ligurians, who inhabited in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. northwestern Italy, they called this river Bodincos, which means "bottomless". Bodingus, repeated after them those who displaced the Ligurians in the 5th century. BC e. Celts. The ancient Greeks gave her the name Eridanus, the ancient Romans - Padua, the linguistic trace remained in the names of Padania (the Po plain) and Padua (a city in the Veneto region). And the name "Po" is very similar to the abbreviation of the dialect variant Podus, as well as Pau and echoes the first syllable of the name Bodinkos. In the north-east of Italy, in the river delta, the Etruscans lived at the same time as the Ligurians. The Romans arrived there in the 3rd century. BC e., but the economic development of the territory began in the I century. BC e. Local clay soils are excellent raw materials for the production of bricks and terracotta tiles, and soon brick began to flow from here to Rome. The Romans also mined wood and salt here. In parallel, and there is also a lot of material evidence for this, the Romans drained the swamps by digging canals, and strengthened the banks, lining them with stone and planting pine trees on the sandbanks. And from the III century. created their fortresses, ports and cities.
The Po begins in the Kotsky Alps and rushes first to the northeast, and then to the east. Near the city of Po, it reaches a width of 200 m and an average water discharge of about 100 m 3 / s. Continuing its way to the east, it sometimes makes arcuate retreats to the north or south and receives full-flowing tributaries into its channel. After confluence with Tanaro, the flow of water becomes already more than 500 m 3 / s, merging with Ticino in the province of Pavia, the Po accelerates its flow to 900 m 3 / s and becomes navigable from Piacenza. Rivers from the spurs of the Apennines increase the water flow to 1540 m 3 / s. Until 1797, the Apennine Reno River was also a tributary of the Po, but due to severe floods at their confluence, the Reno channel was set aside. The Po flows into the Adriatic Sea, forming a small but branched delta, in which there are only six large groups of branches, and small ones, interspersed with islets and lagoons, cannot be counted. Traditionally, the Po basin is associated with the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Balle d "Aosta, and partially with Veneto, the autonomous province of Trento and Liguria. Among the major cities of the Padana Plain, Turin, Venice, Bologna and Ferrara are noted first of all. To the Po basin they also include Piacenza, Cremona, Parma, Mantua and other, not so famous, but also historical cities, standing on its tributaries or connected with it through a complex network of man-made canals. where rice, wheat, oats, sugar beet are cultivated Numerous farms with more than 4 million head of cattle and more than 5 million pigs are surrounded by orchards and vineyards. in order to fill the markets of all cities in the north of the country with local products.
The Po Delta is a world with a unique landscape: mighty elms on the islands, thickets of reeds, and between them - swampy backwaters dotted with lilies and water lilies, and thickets of other "water roses". The National Natural Park of the Delta, belonging to the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, occupies 58,000 hectares. This is a habitat for many species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, about 380 species of vertebrates, including more than 300 species of birds, for the sake of observing which thousands of tourists come here. Since ancient times, on the arms of the delta, people created dams on the way of schools of fish, in which fish were bred. Salt was mined from salt marshes. The so-called salt towers and tabarras have been preserved - sheds made of stone for storing boats, nets and other fishing equipment. Some of them are now turned into small ethnographic museums. And today almost all the islands of the delta are inhabited by fishermen. Delta has seven beaches, the total length of which is 23 km.
As for the architecture of cities, almost every sight of them is a work of high art. As in many other regions of Italy. But here it should be noted that the Padan Plain in this sense is far from the end of the list. Turin, the fourth largest city in Italy after Rome, Milan (which is also located on the Padana Plain) and Naples, has been the industrial and financial center of the country since the 6th century. was the center of the Lombard kingdom (Lombardy), in the XIII century. went to the Dukes of Savoy, who left the largest number of architectural monuments in the city and its environs. In 1720-1860 (with interruptions) Turin was the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia, in 1861-1870 - of the Kingdom of Italy. One of the most famous sights of the city is the Shroud of Turin, the debate about the authenticity of which does not subside. Piacenza, founded by the Romans in 218, who called it in Latin Placentia (“pleasing to everyone”), tries to live up to this, one might say, programmatic name, and it succeeds quite well - both due to the sights and thanks to the refined atmosphere, as noted many travelers. For the church of San Sisto of this city, Raphael painted the “Sistine Madonna” (her copy is now hanging there). Cremona is the same age as Piacenza. This small town has a huge world fame in music, thanks to the unsurpassed violin makers Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri. In Cremona, its medieval part has been perfectly preserved. Ferrara arose as a refuge for refugees from Aquileia during the invasion of the Huns (452). Art historians speak of the "Ferrara civilization", referring to the number of architectural masterpieces left by the d'Este house that ruled this duchy city. In addition to the world famous Po Delta Park, which is divided into two regional parks of the Emilia-Romagna and Veneto regions, in In the Po basin, there are about 60 small but well-groomed regional natural parks and reserves, where the flora and fauna of the valley are represented, and each of the cities of the plain has its own unique individual features and historical monuments.
The relationship between man and the valley, in addition to economic and cultural, has another important aspect - natural and ecological. Here in the foreground is the problem of floods, especially in autumn, during the period of intense long rains (in autumn 2011, one of the bridges in Turin collapsed). On the one hand, much is being done to protect cities and agricultural land from them. On the other hand, the pumping of groundwater during reclamation leads to a decrease in the level of the drained territory, which expands the area of floods: it is known that soils in the Po Valley sink by an average of 2-3 cm per year. Therefore, motorways near large cities often stand on monumental concrete supports . Equally important is the problem of water pollution. Surprisingly, but true: in 2002, Milan did not yet have reliable urban wastewater treatment plants; the situation has now been corrected. In the same year, the Interregional Agency for the River Po was created, in which the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto are represented. The Agency controls the construction and operation of hydraulic structures, port infrastructure, monitors the state of the river in order to predict floods. Since 1990, the interregional Po River Basin Council has been operating, in 2009 it adopted a 60-point plan for the period up to 2015, which includes such measures as raising and strengthening dams, expanding natural protected areas, especially wetlands, preserving and restoring hydromorphological characteristics rivers, forest plantations.
general information
The largest river in Italy. Navigable for small coasters from Piacenza to the mouth.
Source: Kotsky Alps, at an altitude of 2022 m.
Left tributaries: Pellice, Dora Riparia, Dora Baltea, Agony, Ticino, Lambro, Adda, Olho, Mincio, Olona.
Right tributaries: Varanta, Maira, Tanaro, Scrivia, Nure, Curone, Trebbia, Taro, Parma, Enza, Secchia, Panaro. In the delta, it breaks up into five large groups of branches (Po di Maestra, Po della Pila, Po delle Tolle, Po di Gnocca and Po di Goro). Po di Maestra through the Bianco (Tartaro) channel forms the sixth arm - Po di Levante.
Population of the Po Plain: about 16 million people
Population density: maximum - on the banks of the Lambro tributary (Lombardy), 1478 people / km 2, minimum - south of the Trebbia river basin, 25 people / km 2.
Mouth: Adriatic Sea.
The largest cities on the banks of the Po: Turin, Piacenza, Cremona.
Major airport: international airport in Turin.
Numbers
Length: 652 km.
Pool area in Italy: 71,057 km2.
Average water consumption: 1540 m 3 /s: at the mouth: up to 13,000 m 3 /s.
Maximum width to mouth: 400 m (after the confluence of the Olho).
Total water intake: 20.5 billion m 3 /year.
Water intake from underground sources: 6 billion m 3 / year.
Water abstraction from surface waters: 14.5 billion m 3 /year.
Delta area: 380 km 2 (the territory of the National Park in the delta is 58,000 ha, or 580 km 2). In a broader sense, the Po Delta also includes swampy and connected by small channels lands in the province of Ferrara in the area between the city of Ferrara and the Valli di Comacchio lagoon, taking this into account, the area of the delta is about 1500 km 2 and tends to increase.
Salinity level of water in the delta: 3% o.
Economy
The Po basin area is home to approximately 46% of the economically active population of Italy, which creates about 40% of the country's GDP. Electricity consumption in the region accounts for 48% of domestic consumption. Cascades of hydroelectric power stations operate on several left tributaries of the Po.
The largest industrial center of the Po basin is Turin: heavy metallurgy, automotive industry (80% of all cars produced in the country), mechanical engineering (wagons, tractors), production of marine engines and ball bearings, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, clothing, food industries; River navigation. Almost all cities below Piacenza have ports or marinas. There are 14 ports for fishing and pleasure boats in the delta region. In the delta - fishing and shellfish farming.
Service sector: tourism (including river cruises and ecological tourism in the delta).
Climate and weather
In general - continental, soft, humid, close to the Mediterranean (in different regions of the valley it fluctuates in one direction or another).
Winters are short, short-term frosts occur (in Turin and its environs), but the most frequent winter phenomenon is heavy fogs.
January average temperature:+3°С.
July average temperature:+26°С.
Average annual rainfall: 900 mm.
Attractions
■ UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Po Delta, the palaces of the House of Savoy in Turin and its environs, early Christian monuments in the city of Ravenna, the Renaissance part of the city of Ferrara;
■ city of Turin: Cathedral, Duomo (Renaissance, XV century), Sulerga Basilica (Baroque, XVIII century). Royal Palace (Renaissance, 17th century), Palazzo Cavour (Baroque, 18th century). Palazzo Madama (Museum of Antiquities and Fine Arts - a 13th-century castle built on the ruins of a Roman gate, decorated in the 18th century with elements in the Lemont Baroque style), palaces of the Savoy House, in the city and its environs, Renaissance and Baroque, XVII in Real (Royal Palace), Valentno. Racconigi, Stupinigi, Carignano; Mole Antonelliana Tower (Cinema Museum, Neo-Gothic, 19th century). Museum of Egypt;
■ city of Pavia: Church of San Michele Maggiore (XI-XII centuries) - an example of the Lombard Romanesque style, Certosa Monastery (XIV-XV centuries): paintings, frescoes, sculptures by Borgognone, Perugino, Luini, Guercino. Cathedral. Duomo (founded in the 15th century);
■ city of Mantua: the historical center of the city - the Rotonda di San Lorenzo (XI century), the churches of San Francesco (XIV century), San Andrea (XV century), San Sebastiano (XV century). Mantua Cathedral (XIV-XVIII centuries), Reggia - the palace of the Dukes of Gonzaga (XIII-XIV centuries). Virgil Academy and its Science Museum.
■ city of Alessandria: Museum of the Battle of Marengo;
■ Piacenza city: religious buildings in the Lombard-Romanesque style with Gothic elements - Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady (1122-1235), Basilica of San Antonio (1122-1253), San Savino (consecrated in 1107, rare floor mosaics of the 12th century .); San Francesco (laid down in 1278); Romanesque and Renaissance: Churches of Santa Maria di Campagna (1522-1528, Pordenone frescoes): San Giovanni on the Canal (XIII century), San Sisto (1499-1511), Palazzo Comunale ( XIII-XIV centuries), Palazzo Landi (XIV-XV centuries), Palazzo Farnese (XVI century), Piazza Cavalli (XVI century), Palazzo dei Mercanti (XVII century);
■ city of Cremona: Lombard-Romanesque style with Gothic elements - Cremona Cathedral, Duomo (XII century), Torrazzo tower 112.1 m high (XII century), Church of San Michele (XIII century). Loggia dei Militi ("Society of Warriors"), buildings of the public meeting, XIII e .; the archaeological museum, the Ala Ponzone Museum (founded in the 16th century, a collection of two thousand paintings and sculptures), the Stradivarius Museum;
■ city of Ferrara: early Christian basilicas of San Michele (V-VI centuries) and San Giorgio (VII century, ХІV-ХVI centuries); Cathedral, Duomo (Romanesque-Gothic style, XII-XV centuries) c.); renaissance - Skifanoia Palace (XIV-XV centuries), D "Este Castle (XV century), Romen House (XV century), Lodovico Moro Palace (XV century), Diamond Palace (XVI century);
■ Pamposa Abbey (Kodigoro commune) - one of the main cultural centers of medieval Italy and an architectural masterpiece of the Romanesque and Byzantine style. Known since the 9th century;
■ Castle D "Este in the commune of Meeola (Renaissance, 1604).
Curious facts
■ Hydraulic sluices in the Po delta appeared in the 4th century BC. e. They were built by the Etruscans to deepen the channel and extract the salt brought by the sea tides.
■ The Porto Vinciane irrigation canal system in the province of Ferrara is named after Leonardo da Vinci, who designed it. The main technical idea of this system is the use of a network of hydraulic pumps: with their help, excess water flows into the sea, and special locks do not allow it to move back to the plain.
■ The town of Comacchio (about 10,000 people), occupying 13 small islands connected by bridges in the Po delta, is called little Venice. It was founded under the emperor Octavian Augustus in the 1st century BC. on the site of the Etruscan city of Spina, known from the 3rd century BC. BC h. Comacchio hosts the International Ecotourism Fair every year.
■ Antonio Stradivari never left Cremona in his life and created about 2,500 instruments, of which 732 are indisputably authentic, including 632 violins.
The territory of Italy is mostly covered with mountains. That is why the rivers of Italy cannot boast of long duration and full flow.
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The longest river "boot" is Po, the length of which is 625 kilometers. The confluence of the Po is the waters of the Adriatic Sea. The largest tributaries of the Po: Dora-Riparia; Ticino; Dora Baltea; Adda. On the banks of the river there are many picturesque cities: Piacenza, Turin, Cremona, etc.
The Po River periodically overflows its banks, causing damage to the plains along the banks. That is why, for the most part of its course, the Po is surrounded by dams.
Traveling along the river could be quite exciting:
- Piacenza will be interesting for the Cathedral and numerous basilicas.
- Cremona boasts many buildings made in an unusual Lombard-Romanesque style, containing elements of the Gothic.
- Padua will delight art lovers with the preserved frescoes of Giotto.
Adige
In the north of Italy is the country's second largest waterway - the Adige River, which is only 410 kilometers long. It is on its banks that the magnificent Verona stands.
Other rivers of the country
The rivers of the Apennine Peninsula, as you have seen, are small. The largest can be called the following: Metauro; potency; Esino; Ofanto. The length of these rivers is not more than two hundred kilometers.
The rivers flowing into the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea are larger. And the biggest one is the Tiber. This giant, by local standards, stretches across the country for 405 kilometers. Formerly the river was navigable from its source to its mouth. Today, in some places, the channel has become much shallower, and ships sail along the Tiber only in the interval from Rome to the mouth. The Tiber, through numerous lakes, tributaries and canals, has a connection with the Arno River.
The rivers of southern Italy often dry up during the summer. And in areas of the country where there are karst caves, there are no rivers on the surface at all.
In general, the rivers of Italy are not particularly popular with guests of the country. And there are several reasons for this: shallow water; bad ecological situation. But lovers of outdoor activities are extremely fond of small mountain streams.
Rivers are often located above the level of the plain; to prevent floods, they are protected by dams, the breakthrough of which leads to large floods (the latter happened in 2006). The rivers of northern Italy, in addition to rain feeding, are also fed by snow and glaciers, they are characterized by spring-summer and autumn floods, the rivers are used for irrigation. Alpine rivers are a source of hydropower. The rivers of the Apennine peninsula and islands are less abundant in water, they are fed mainly by rain, the flood is autumn or winter, and they often dry up in summer. The largest are the Arno and the Tiber.
List of the largest rivers by length
List of longest rivers in Italy.
| № |
River | Italian name | Total length, km |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | By | Po | 676 |
| 2 | Adige | Adige | 410 |
| 3 | Tiber | Tevere | 404 |
| 4 | Adda | Adda | 313 |
| 5 | Ticino | Ticino | 248 |
| 6 | Tanaro | Tanaro | 242 |
| 7 | Arno | Arno | 241 |
| 8 | Piave | Piave | 220 |
| 9 | Renault | Renault | 211 |
| 10 | Olho | Oglio | 191 |
| 11 | Volturno | Volturno | 177 |
| 12 | Tagliamento | Tagliamento | 172 |
| 13 | Panaro | Panaro | 165 |
| 14 | Dora Baltea | Dora Baltea | 162 |
| 15 | brenta | Brenta | 160 |
Notes
130 (number)130 (one hundred and thirty) is the natural number following 129 and 131.
Adriatic sturgeonAdriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) is a fish of the sturgeon family. Rare little-studied species.
Small sturgeon, as an exception, reaches a length of 2 m and a weight of 25 kg, usually much smaller. It is very close to the Russian sturgeon, possibly being its evaded intraspecific form. It differs from the latter by a large number of gill rakers: it has 30-35 of them, while the Russian sturgeon usually has less than 30 of them. There are 36-48 rays in the dorsal fin, 24-31 in the anal fin. The color of the body varies from grayish-brown to almost black, the belly is whitish.
Passage view. For breeding, it enters the rivers of northern Italy, Yugoslavia and Albania: Po, Adige, Brenta, Livenets, Cetina, etc.
In the sea, it keeps near the coast, at depths from 10 to 40 m, usually near the mouths of rivers. It enters the rivers of Italy during the first months of the year, and remains in fresh water until October. Spawning occurs in February-March. Growth, reproduction, fertility, caviar development, nutrition and other aspects of its biology have not been studied.
Due to its rarity, this sturgeon has no economic value. There are no data on its population. At present, attempts are being made to artificially breed.
AlliaAllia (Aliya, Aya; Italian Allia, lat. Allia) is a small river in the Italian region of Lazio, the left tributary of the Tiber. It originates in the mountains near the location of the ancient Roman city of Crustumerium, flows near the city of Monterotondo and flows into the Tiber about 10 km above Rome.
peninsulaThe Apennine Peninsula (Italian: Penisola appenninica; also Penisola italiana - “Italian Peninsula”) is one of the largest peninsulas in Europe, located in the south of the continent and washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The peninsula contains most of mainland Italy, as well as the Republic of San Marino, the theocratic state of the Vatican City, and sometimes considered a dwarf state by the Order of Malta. The peninsula got its name from the Apennine mountains, stretching along its most part.
The area of the Apennine Peninsula is 149 thousand km². Length - about 1100 km, width - from 130 to 300 km. In the north, the peninsula is bounded by the Padana Lowland, in the west it is washed by the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the east by the Adriatic Sea, in the south by the Ionian Sea.
A feature of the Apennine Peninsula is high seismicity, modern mountain building, ancient and modern volcanic activity (Albanian mountains, Amiata, Vulsini, Vulture, Vesuvius, Phlegrean fields). Strong earthquakes are not uncommon for the Apennine Peninsula. These processes are due to the global tectonic process of the movement of lithospheric plates, when the African plate collides and moves under the Eurasian plate, on which Europe is located.
VipavaVipava (Slovenian Vipava) is a river in Slovenia and Italy, a left tributary of the Sochi River.
The length of the river is 49 km, of which 44 km are in Slovenia, 5 km in Italy. The pool area is 598 km² (not including the underground pool).
It originates from a karst spring in the town of Vipava. It flows along the right edge of the Vipava valley near the Karst plateau. It flows into the Socha River in Italy.
During the Roman Empire, the river was called Frigid (Frigidus - cold). In 394, the Battle of the Frigid River took place near the river, which largely predetermined the fate of the Roman Empire.
Geography of ItalyItaly is a state in Southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean. The total area of the country is 301,230 km², on its territory there are the southern slopes of the Alps, the Padan Plain, the Apennine Peninsula (famous for its shape resembling a boot), as well as the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and numerous small islands.
Monte VisoMonte Viso (or Monviso) (Italian Monte Viso, or Monviso; ox. Vísol; drink. Brich Monviso, or Viso) is the highest peak of the Kot Alps. The peak with a height of 3841 meters above sea level is located on the territory of Italy in the Piedmont region of the province of Cuneo, not far from the border with France.
TrignoTrigno (Italian: Trigno) is a river in southern Italy.
It originates from Mount Capraro (Apennines), near Vastogirardi in the Molise region, province of Isernia, at an altitude of about 1290 m above sea level. Length 85 km. It flows 35 km through the Molise region and about 45 km through the Abruzzi region, forming a border between them for most of its length. Up to 30 rivers and streams flow into Trigno. In the initial section, the current is calm, smooth, and near Chiauchi it is swift, between Pescolanciano and Chiauchi there is a cascade 60 meters high, after which, the current is calm again. The total area of the basin is about 1200 km², of which 40% in the province of Isernia, 32% in the province of Chieti and 28% in the province of Campobasso. It flows into the Adriatic Sea, the mouth is located between the cities of Vasto and Termoli. In the upper reaches of the river, in the territory of Chiauchi dam was built. In 2011, the filling of the reservoir began.
FintaFinta, or Mediterranean finta (lat. Alosa fallax) is a species of ray-finned fish of the herring family.
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| Dependencies | Åland Guernsey Gibraltar Jersey Isle of Man Faroe Islands Svalbard Jan Mayen |
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Italy is a European country that is proud of its cultural and historical sights, as well as picturesque natural sites. An integral part of Italian nature are its rivers. We will talk about them in today's article.
Rivers in Italy
A significant part of the country's territory is represented by mountainous terrain. This fact had a strong influence on the length and fullness of the Italian rivers. However, the small depth and short length of water bodies does not affect their beauty and picturesqueness. We will talk about the 10 longest rivers in the country below.
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This river is the longest in Italy. Its length is 652 km. The Po originates in the north of the country, on one of the massifs of the Cot Alps. The course of the river runs in an easterly direction, affecting areas such as Venice, Lombardy and Turin. On the banks of the Po there are world-famous cities - Turin, Piacenza, Cremona, etc. Its completion is the Adriatic Sea, here the Po flows into a large marshy delta. The river is famous for a record number of tributaries: both on the left and on the right side. Left tributaries originate in the southern Alps. These include the rivers Lambro, Pol, Olona, Ticino, Agony, Dora Riparia, Adda, Mincio, Dora Baltea and Ollo. The sources of the right tributaries are in the Tuscan-Emilian Alennines and the Maritime Alps. These rivers are less full-flowing. The right tributaries of the Po are the Enza, Nure, Panaro, Varaita, Taro, Tanaro, Curone, Secchia, Trebbia, Maira, Parma, Scrivia.
The main purpose of the river is to irrigate the fruitful lands of the country. During heavy rainfall, it bursts its banks and causes damage to nearby valleys. To protect the land from spilling water, special barrier structures are provided. Some left tributaries of the Po are equipped with cascades of hydroelectric power stations. On the waters of the river is the movement of navigable transport. You can take a trip on boats, steamboats and other vessels from the mouth of the river to the cities of Pavia and Piacenza.
Adige
The second longest river in Italy is the Adige. Its length is 410 km. It originates in one of the northern Alpine regions, located near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. On the banks of the Adige are the cities of Verona and Trento, as well as famous sights - the Scaliger bridge, the Castelvecchio castle, the Reschensee lake and the Ponte Pietra bridge. The final point of the river's flow is the Adriatic Sea, where it forms a common delta with the Po River. The named water artery of the country has 2 large tributaries: Avisio and Isarco. There are several hydroelectric power stations on the Adige. Due to the violent current, the river is popular with lovers of extreme sensations, in particular, kayakers. Locals love to come to the banks of the Adige before sunset, and admire the beauty of its waters in the last rays of the sun hiding behind the horizon.
Tiber
The named Italian river has a length of 404 km. The source of the Tiber is in the southern part of the Tuscan-Emilian Alennines. Its waters flow through the regions of Lazio and Umbria, Rome was founded on the left bank of the Tiber. It was in its waters that the basket with the founders of the current capital of the country, Romulus and Remus, was lowered. The end of the river is the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Tiber has several tributaries: Clitunno, Nera, Aniene, Topino, Chiaggio, etc. There are 26 bridges across the Tiber. The most famous are the Bridge of the Holy Angel, the Sixtus and the Milvian Bridge. There is also a tiny island on the river, on which the Basilica of St. Bartholomew.
Adda
This Italian waterway is a left tributary of the Po River. The Adda is 313 km long. Its source is Lake Cancano, located in the Rhaetian Alps. Further, the waters of the river cross the Lombard Prealps and the Lombard lowland. Here, 124 km of Adda are navigable. In the territory of the city of Retino, the river flows into the Po. The tributaries of the Adda include Serio, Lambro and Brembo. Hydroelectric power stations are located in some parts of the river.
Ticino
This facility flows through Italy and Switzerland. The total length of Ticino is 248 km. Italy has 157 km of water flow. The source of the natural attraction is located in Switzerland - on the Saint Gotthard massif. In the region of Lombardy, in the vicinity of the city of Pavia, the Ticino flows into the Po. On the banks of the river are the Swiss cities of Airolo, Bellinzona, Locarno, and the Italian cities of Stresa, Pavia and Vigevano. The largest tributary of the Ticino is the Arno River. In Switzerland, a hydroelectric power station is located on the waters of a natural object; in Italy, its waters are used to irrigate fields.
Tanaro
The right tributary of the Po has a length of 276 km. The source of the river is located in the Ligurian Alps. The end of the Tanaro path is the Po River in the vicinity of the commune of Bassignana. The largest tributaries of the river are the Stura di Demonte, Bormida and Belbo. Ticino is known for its floods. The most serious natural disaster occurred in 1994, when the waters of the river caused significant damage to the city of Alessandria.
Arno
This famous Italian river originates in the Apennine mountains, flows through the territory of the Tuscany region, and ends its journey in the Ligurian Sea in the vicinity of Pisa. The most famous tributary of the Arno is the Sieve, adjoining it on the right side. The river owes its fame to Florence, which stands on the banks of the Arno. In 1966, a flood occurred here, as a result of which significant damage was recorded to the city. After this incident, dams were erected in Florence, which made it possible to control the "changeable mood" of Arno.
Piave
This northern Italian river is 220 km long. Its beginning is located on the slopes of Mount Peralba, which belongs to the territory of the Carnic Alps. The end of the "route" Piave is the Adriatic Sea in the Cortelazzo area. There are several hydroelectric power stations on the river, its waters are used to irrigate fields. The following cities stand on the Piave: San Dona di Piave, Belluno and Pieve di Cadore.
Renault
Another northern river of the country has a length of 211 km. Its beginning is in the highlands of Tuscany, in the province of Pistoia. Reno flows through the Podana Plain, and ends its journey in the Adriatic Sea. On its banks stands the famous Italian city of Bologna. The main tributary of the Reno is the Santerno. The lower part of the river is used for water transport.
Olho
The left tributary of the Po, the Ollio, completes our list of Italian rivers. Its length is 191 km. The water artery is formed by 2 streams, the sources of which are in the Southern Alps. The river flows through Lake Iseo, through the Camonica Valley and the Padan Plain. In the province of Mantua, the Ollo flows into the Po. The main tributaries of the river are the Mella, Kerio, Chiese, Dezzo and Allione. Olho's waters are used for field irrigation and hydropower needs.
Despite its picturesqueness and history, the rivers of Italy are not in demand by tourists. Most of the waterways flowing in large Italian cities have an unattractive brown color of water and a shallow depth that does not allow you to travel on comfortable boats. At the same time, lovers of extreme sports can enjoy their holidays in the northern regions of the country, where there are a large number of fast-flowing small rivers.
The internal hydraulic system of Italy is very saturated. And although there are no such long rivers as in neighboring countries, nevertheless, their network is very deep. The largest river in Italy is Po, and its numerous tributaries and canals form a river transport system. Lakes in their mass are recreational centers, where tourists and fans of healthy recreation in the bosom of the beautiful nature of Italy flock.
Major rivers in Italy
(Po River Delta)
There are many rivers in Italy, most of which are tributaries or branches of one - the largest, called Po. Many of them are connected by canals, which makes it possible to use even small bodies of water for navigation.
By
(Turin city on the river Po)
The original name of the largest river in Italy - Po was Bodincus, which means "bottomless" in Celtic. Not surprising, because it is also the deepest river in these places. It is noteworthy that the Po floodplain is called Padania, and the ancient city of Padua, founded in the 10th century, is located on the banks. BC. The mouth of the Po is located in the Kotsky Alps, at an altitude of 2022 m above sea level. The mouth flows into the Adriatic Sea. With its tributaries, the Po is connected with the largest lakes in Italy - Como, Lago Maggiore, Garda. Most of the drainage basin, numbering 70 thousand square kilometers. located in Italy, and only a part belongs to neighboring Switzerland. The river is used not only as a navigable artery, but also for generating electricity, irrigating orchards and vineyards.
Adige
(Stone bridge of the Adige river in Verona)
The second longest river in Italy, the Adige, with a length of 410 km, originates in the Alps and has a common delta with the Po, flowing into the Adriatic Sea. It was on the banks of the Adige that the most significant events in the history of Italy, military battles, took place. In the lower reaches, the river is navigable, and a nuclear power plant has been built on the banks. Part of the channel is characterized by a rapid current and is popular with rafting fans. In the part that flows into Verona is the famous castle of Castelvecchio, where the largest Italian museum of painting and sculpture is located.
Tiber
(Tiber river in Rome)
The third largest river of the Apennine Peninsula. It originates on the southern slopes of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The largest tributaries are Chiaggio, Topino, Clitunno. The lower course of the Tiber runs along the Maremma plain. The length of the river is about 405 km, and it is famous for the fact that it is on its banks that the capital of Italy, Rome, is located. There is a legend that the Tiber was renamed in honor of the once famous ruler Tiberinus Silvius, who drowned in its waters, and earlier the river was called Albula, under which it is mentioned in more ancient historical sources. In the tourist region of Umbria, there is a river park of the Tiber, 50 km long. Tourists and fans of archaeological excavations, which do not stop here to this day, make a pilgrimage here.
Adda
(Romanesque bridge over the river Adda)
The Po tributary in northern Italy, 313 km long, originates in the Valtellina valley in Lake Cancano in the Rhaetian Alps at an altitude of 2237 m above sea level. It flows into the Po near the town of Retino. In historical chronicles dating back to the times of the Roman Empire, the river is often mentioned as a natural frontier used by military leaders in various battles. Not far from the Tyrolean border, the river forms a picturesque waterfall 15 km long from a height of 754 m.
Ticino
(Ticino River in northern Italy)
The left full-flowing tributary of the largest river Po, flowing not only through Italy, but also through Switzerland. The length of the river is about 248 km, it originates in the Saint Gotthard mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. It flows into the Po near the town of Pavia. The Italian part of the river is predominantly used for irrigation. In addition to Pavia, near the coast of Ticino are the cities of Vigevano and Stresa.
Major lakes in Italy
When it comes to the most famous lakes in Italy, they mainly mean the top three - Garda, Lago Maggiore and Como. In addition to them, Varese, Lugano, Iseo, Trasimeno, Omodeo are of interest in size. In total, according to the latest data, there are about one and a half thousand freshwater lakes in Italy.
Lake Garda
(Lago di Garda)
Previously, the lake was called Benaki, but today the name Garda is used in literature and gazetteers. Located on the southern slopes of the Alps at an altitude of 65 m above sea level. From it flows the river Mincho, which is the left tributary of the Po. It feeds the Aril reservoir - the shortest river in Italy.
The unique location of the lake between Mlan and Venice quite predictably made it a kind of mecca of world fashion, because it is in the resort towns of Bardolino, Riva del Garda, Desenzano del Garda that the famous fashion shows and shows with the participation of world-famous couturiers are held. Gardaland, Italy's largest amusement park for children, is also located here.
Lake Maggiore
(Beautiful swan on a beautiful morning in the waters of Lago Maggiore)
In the Lombard Alps, there is the 2nd largest lake in Italy, with an area of 212 sq. km. Its shores belong not only to Italy, but also to neighboring Switzerland. In its deepest part, the bottom of the lake drops to 372 m. The left tributary of the Po-Ticino flows through Lago Maggiore. The Toche River provides a waterway between Lago Maggiore and the neighboring Orta reservoir. The indented coastline of a natural reservoir forms island archipelagos, unique in their beauty. In the Middle Ages, the lake was called differently - Verbano, because on its banks there were impressive thickets of vervain. With the improvement of the coast and the construction of villas of noble Italians, the simple name was gradually replaced by the more harmonious Lago Maggiore. Mountainous slopes, breathtaking villas, luxurious gardens and resort towns - all this is located on the coast of Lago Maggiore.
Lake Como
(Many houses of Lombardy between the hills near Lake Como)
The third place in the ranking is occupied by one of the deepest in Europe (about 410 m) Lake Como, located just north of Milan (40 km). The reservoir is fed by the Adda River, the left tributary of the Po. The reservoir got its name after the city of Como on its banks. The name of the lake is well known, but not everyone remembers why. In antiquity, the villa of the greatest ancient Roman poet Virgil was located here. Modern world fame Como received thanks to the cinema. At Villa Balbianello, which is located on its banks, such famous film masterpieces as Casino Royale, Ocean's Twelve and others were filmed.
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