Monte Solaro
| Monte Solaro | |
|---|---|
 Mount Solaro above Marina Grande | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 589 m (1,932 ft) |
| Prominence | 589 m (1,932 ft)  |
| Coordinates | 40°32′40″N 14°13′26″E / 40.54444°N 14.22389°E |
| Geography | |
  Monte Solaro Italy | |
| Location | Campania, Italy |
Monte Solaro is a mountain on the island of Capri in Campania, Italy. With an elevation of 589 m, its peak is the highest point of Capri. [1]
It contains the "Fortino di Bruto", a blockhouse which was used in battles between Britain and France in the early 19th century.[2] It is characterised by its "sheer dolomitic slopes" which form an "unsurpassable partition" between the eastern and western sides of the island.[3] Marina Grande lies at the foot of the mountain. It became popular with painters due to its "romantic situation, affording extensive and beautiful views to the NW of the Tyrrhenian sea, the gulf of Naples".[4][5] Up the mount there is a statue of Emperor Augustus who first landed on Capri.
Geology and Topography
Monte Solaro (Mount Solaro) is formed from the same limestone that the island is also composed of.
Flora and fauna
Flora
The area around Monte Solaro is inhabited by over 900 species of vegetation. At higher altitudes, one might find acanthus, arbutus, heather, juniper, broom, ilex, lentisk, litosperma, myrtle and smilace. At lower altitudes, one might find laurels, rock-roses, strawberry trees, Daphne shrubs, Pistacia lentiscus (Mastic), myrtles, narcissus, orchids, and pines and the Lithodora Rosmarinifolia.
Fauna
The mountain is also visited by many species of birds, including peregrine falcons.
Hiking
The summit is accessible by walking without too much difficulty by either the passetiello or a path that starts from Axel Munthe. Both routes are suitable for walkers in decent physical condition. Notable sites include the Eremo di Santa Maria a Cetrella for its architecture, and the remains of the Fortino di Bruto, a military fort built during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the top of Monte Visto, one can see both the gulfs of Napoli and Salerno.
Climate
Monte Solaro has a typical Mediterranean climate, but with colder winters because of the high altitude.
References
- ^ Valdes, Giuliano; Fabbri, Patrizia; Lewis, Rhiannon (May 2009). Capri. Casa Editrice Bonechi. p. 5. ISBN 978-88-476-0785-9. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ "Mount Solaro - Cetrella". Capri.net. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ Maiuri, Amedeo (1956). Capri: its history and its monuments. Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Libreria dello Stato. p. 15. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ Antoine Claude Pasquin Valery (known as) (1839). Historical, Literary, and Artistic Travels in Italy: A Complete and Methodical Guide for Travellers and Artists. Baudry. p. 486. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ Royal Geographical Society (Great Britain) (1856). A Gazetteer of the World: Or, Dictionary of Geographical Knowledge, Compiled from the Most Recent Authorities, and Forming a Complete Body of Modern Geography -- Physical, Political, Statistical, Historical, and Ethnographical. A. Fullarton. p. 240. Retrieved 4 July 2012.