Seeing photographs of some of the most wonderful islands, sometimes one does not quite 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 V century, a monastery was erected on it, which existed for several centuries and was abandoned in the XVI century.
When Cardinal Carlo Borromeo (1580) made a visit to the island, there was only one hermit named Peter. The islet, which replaced several owners throughout its existence, by the beginning of the 20th century went to Vincenzo Ricieri - the captain of the royal fleet. In 1910, he built here (on the site of the ruins of a monastery) a neo-Gothic castle and a small marina with two lighthouses. Around the castle was planted a coniferous forest.
This island has recently become famous for having once wanted to acquire it, and then changed its mind George Clooney, who at that time already had a residence near this place.
Iseo Square (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 the same name Iseo. In the very center of the reservoir is located the largest in Europe, the natural island of Monte Isola, which is popular with hang gliders.
Castle at Stuttgart
Not far from the German city of Stuttgart is an old castle. Local residents 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 magnificent and beautiful architectural objects of the planet. Located in the Baden-Württemberg district, the fortress wall along with the castle spiers decorates the top of the mountain of the same name, which is surrounded by eternal clubs of fog.
The closest centers of civilization are the cities of Hechingen and Biesingen. A feature of this fortification is impregnability. The mountain peak, on which the Hohenzollern Castle is located, allows those who are on the fortress walls to inspect vast spaces in order to be able to repel the attack at any time.
Walking up the mountain in time takes about 20 minutes. This impregnable mountain complex has long remained the patrimony of the Hohenzollern dynasty, which ruled from the 12th century until the advent of the republic. Today, tourists are rising to the castle. The rooms in it were rebuilt many times, which led to a mixture of completely different styles of architecture.
Stalker Castle (Scotland)
This architectural structure is a stone squat dungeon (the main tower of the castle), located on the island of Loch Lake. This pond is part of Loch Lynn Lake. Not far from the latter is the city of Portnacrois. It is believed that the island is one of the many prehistoric crannogs (artificial small islands) found on almost all the lakes of Scotland.
According to historical chronicle information, 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. Initially, it was a small fortification.
In 1908, the castle on the island was acquired by Charles Stuart - a descendant of the Stuart family, to which this building belonged for quite some time. Charles made a small repair in the castle, but Stalker was returned to his full life only with the new owner - Colonel D.R. Stuart (since 1965). He held large-scale events for the restoration of the castle and turned it into a comfortable place to live. This building is today a private property, but its owners good-naturedly welcome guests so that they get to know this amazing historical place. Many sightseeing tours to Scotland include a visit to this unique place.
Mouse Island (Greece)
Just 800 meters from the Greek coast is the island of Pondiconisi, which is the hallmark of Corfu. This place is located near the airport of Kerkyra. The island is so magnificent that many tyrants, peoples and military leaders fought for the right to recapture it, starting from the most ancient times and ending with the 20th century.
The only building located on this piece of land is the Pandocrator - 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 murine, since a winding path with white color leads from the foot of the mountain to the castle. The island can only be reached by boat. According to legend, it was precisely on the island of Pondiconisi that the ship Odyssey crashed during a storm caused by Poseidon. After that, he returned to Ithaca.
"The floating ship"
This unusual castle is located on the island of Palatinate (Germany), located in the middle of the Rhine river. In its form, it resembles a floating ship. It was built as an imperial customs.
The length of the island is 90 meters in length, and how much it protrudes above the surface of the water depends on the level of the river. Rhine. The castle itself is 47 meters long and 21 meters wide. The height of the main tower with the roof is 37 meters, and the walls are 2.6 meters thick.
The peculiarity of the castle is that the entrance to it is located on the third floor. A chain was stretched over the river, which once forced merchants to stop and pay customs duties. The disobeyed were sent to a damp dungeon. Today, part of the fortress is in ruined condition. On the left side of the castle there are underwater cliffs where a pier is erected.
Monastery on the island of Visovac (France)
This castle is located on an island that has an oval shape and an area equal to 18 thousand 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 a horn fortress located on the right bank of Krka. Later, Augustinian monks on this island 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 still has a large collection of church books, documents and monastic clothing. However, the main attraction of the island of Visovac is the sword of the legendary Vuku Mandushitsa - a Serbian hero.