Seeing photos of some of the most wonderful islands, sometimes it's hard to believe that they actually exist. Small pieces of land in the middle of rivers, lakes and seas, rich in their unique architecture and history, create some kind of mystery, thereby attracting a large number of tourists.
The article presents a selection of amazing islands in various parts of the planet Earth.
Loreto (Italy)
This small and very beautiful private island is located on Lake Iseo, located in Northern Italy. At the very end of the 5th century, a monastery was erected on it, which existed for several centuries and was abandoned in the 16th century.
When Cardinal Carlo Borromeo (1580) visited the island, there was only one hermit named Peter. The island, which changed several owners during its existence, by the beginning of the 20th century went to Vincenzo Riccieri, the captain of the royal fleet. In 1910, he built here (on the site of the ruins of the monastery) a neo-Gothic castle and a small pier with two lighthouses. Around the castle was plantedconiferous forest.
This island recently became famous for the fact that one day he wanted to buy it, and then changed his mind George Clooney, who at that time already had a residence near this place.
The area of Iseo (the territory of the Lombard Prealps) is 65 square meters. km, its maximum depth is 251 m, width - 5 km, length - 25 km. The rocky shores of the lake are steep. The territory of the southern coast of the lake is occupied by the city of Iseo of the same name. In the very center of the reservoir is the largest natural island in Europe, Monte Isola, which is popular with hang gliders.
Castle near Stuttgart
An old castle is located not far from the German city of Stuttgart. The locals gave it their name - "castle in the clouds." Hohenzollern Castle (50 km from Stuttgart) deserves such a poetic name. This magnificent fortress is recognized as one of the most majestic and beautiful architectural objects of the planet. Located in the Baden-Württemberg region, the fortress wall, along with castle spiers, adorns the top of the mountain of the same name, which is surrounded by eternal clouds of fog.
The nearest centers of civilization are the cities of Hechingen and Bisingen. The peculiarity of this fortification is impregnability. The mountain peak, on which the Hohenzollern castle is located, allows those on the fortress walls to inspect vast spaces in order to be able to repel an attack at any moment.
Hiking up the mountain in time takes about 20 minutes. This impregnable mountain complex for a long timeremained the domain of the Hohenzollern dynasty, which ruled from the 12th century until the emergence of the republic. Tourists flock to the castle grounds today. The rooms in it were rebuilt many times, which led to a mixture of completely different styles of architecture.
Castle Stalker (Scotland)
This architectural structure is a squat stone keep (the main tower of the castle), located on an island in Loch Leich. This body of water is part of Loch Lynn. Not far from the latter is the city of Portnacrois. It is believed that the island is one of the many prehistoric crannogs (man-made small islands) found on almost all lakes in Scotland.
According to the historical chronicle, in the XII-XIII centuries, this territory belonged to the Lords of Lorne (clan MacDougal). This clan waged numerous internecine wars. According to some reports, around 1320, the first fortifications appeared on the island. It was originally a small fortification.
In 1908, the castle on the island was acquired by Charles Stewart, a descendant of the Stewart family, who owned this building for quite a long time. Charles made minor repairs in the castle, but the Stalker was returned to full life only under the new owner, Colonel D. R. Stuart (since 1965). He carried out large-scale restoration of the castle and turned it into a comfortable place to live. Today this building is a private property, but its owners kindly greet guests so that theytake a closer look at this amazing historical place. Many sightseeing tours to Scotland include a visit to this unique place in the itinerary.
Mouse Island (Greece)
Just 800 meters from the Greek coast is the island of Pondikonisi, which is the hallmark of the island of Corfu. This place is located near the airport of Corfu. The island is so magnificent that many tyrants, peoples and commanders fought for the right to win it back, starting from the deepest antiquity and ending with the 20th century.
The only building located on this piece of land is Pandokratora - the Byzantine monastery. The castle on the island was built in the 13th century. Inside are ancient icons donated by Empress Elizabeth.
Among the local population, the island is called the mouse island, as a winding white path leads from the foot of the mountain to the castle. The island can only be reached by boat. According to legend, Odysseus' ship was wrecked near the island of Poseidon during a storm caused by Poseidon. After that, he returned to Ithaca.
Floating Ship
This unusual castle is located on the island of the Palatinate (Germany), located in the middle of the Rhine River. In its shape, it resembles a sailing ship. It was built as an imperial customs house.
The length of the island is 90 meters, and how much it protrudes above the water surface depends on the level of the river. Rhine. The length of the castle itself is 47 meters, andwidth - 21 m. The height of the main tower with the roof is 37 meters, the thickness of the walls is 2.6 m.
A feature of the castle is that the entrance to it is located on the third floor. A chain was stretched over the river, once forcing merchants to stop and pay a customs fee. Those who disobeyed were sent to a damp dungeon. Today, part of the fortress is in a ruined state. On the left side of the castle there are underwater rocks where a pier has been erected.
Monastery on the island of Visovac (France)
This castle is located on an oval-shaped island with an area of 18,000 square meters. The first mention of the island dates back to 1345. In those days, King Louis of Anjou made a gift to Budislav Ugrinich (prince). It was the Rog fortress, located on the right bank of the Krka. Later, on this island, the Augustinian monks built the church of St. Paul and the monastery. Then, in 1440, monks from Bosnia arrived on the island, fleeing the Ottoman invasion.
The monastery today has a large collection of church books, documents and monastic clothes. However, the main attraction of the island of Visovac is the sword of the legendary Vuk Mandusica, a Serbian hero.
