Isola Minore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
.jpg)
Isola Minore (also known as Isoletta) is a small island in Lake Trasimeno, Italy.[1]
The island is located at a distance of less than 500 metres (1,600 ft) from Isola Maggiore and covers an area of approximately 6 hectares (15 acres).[2] It falls within the municipal territory of Passignano sul Trasimeno.[3]
Despite its limited size, Isola Minore was inhabited in antiquity and still preserves a few scant remains of building structures.[1] The island is now privately owned, uninhabited, and not open to visitors.[2]
.jpg)
According to historical tradition, the earliest inhabitants of Isola Minore (like those of Isola Maggiore and Isola Polvese) were believed to have been refugees who fled to the islands following Roman defeats during Hannibal's campaign in the region.[3]
In March 1174, the inhabitants of Isola Minore formally submitted to the authority of Perugia through a sworn agreement.[4] The island was sufficiently inhabited for its residents to be subject to civic obligations, including an annual tribute of 200 tench owed to the magistrates of Perugia.[3]
In the second half of the 15th century, the population of Isola Minore was forcibly removed by order of the Perugian authorities and transferred to the territory of Tuoro.[3]
Francesco Beccuti noted that during the lifetime of Giovanni Antonio Campano (15th century) the island was uninhabited, a condition attributed to the large number of snakes present there.[5] According to Annibale Mariotti, an eremite resided on Isola Minore during the 18th century.[3]
In the mid-19th century, Isola Minore belonged to the Baldeschi family of Perugia.[1] Human use of the island has since remained minimal, largely due to the lack of electrical infrastructure and the presence of only brackish, non-potable groundwater.[6]
Ethnographic accounts published in 2024 report that, despite its status as private property, Isola Minore has occasionally been accessed without authorization by individuals using private boats, who land at the island's former mooring and enter the interior illegally to explore the site and its views.[7]
