BISENTINA ISLAND
Bisentina Island
Bisentina is located in Lake Bolsena and is the larger of the two islands present in this basin of volcanic origin. It is located in the municipal area of Capodimonte, and is an ancient land with a very particular personal history. Mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy, the island is located near the western shore, a few kilometers away from the promontory where the ancient Etruscan-Roman city of Bisenzio rose from which it takes its name. Today the island is no longer inhabited and since 2017 it has been purchased by the Rovati Foundation.
History of Bisentina Island
Bisentina, has been the property of the Church since 1200 and was used for a long time as the summer residence of the Popes. On the island there are seven small chapels all built during the sixteenth century and a convent, now transformed into a private residence. In the Bisentina area there is also the main church dedicated to Saints Giacomo and Cristoforo constructed by the will of Ranuccio Farnese and donated to the minor friars in 1586.
The island is a natural paradise of extreme beauty, with a wood made up of native holm oaks and dominated by a large Italian garden created by Giovanni Fieschi Ravaschieri del Drago, who for years were the owners of Bisentina. Today Bisentina is private property, but can be visited with guided tours departing from the ports of Capodimonte and Bolsena.
