Fusaro Lake

Lake Fusaro Lago di Fusaro
Location	Bacoli
Coordinates	40°49′19″N 14°03′17″E
Catchment area	8.87 km²
Basin countries	Italy
Surface area	0.97 km²

Lake Fusaro (Italian: Lago di Fusaro) is a lake of the Campania region that is situated west of Naples, Italy, in the territory of the community of Bacoli. It is about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from Baia, and about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the acropolis of Cumae. It is separated from the sea by a narrow coastal strip, it is a very unusual ecosystem of great interest, characterized by a variety of vegetation which is specific to the region.

Geography

Thanks to the presence of nearby fresh water springs, Lake Fusaro (known since the 3rd century B.C. as Acherusia Palus), has been known for its great oysters around the world. Mussels are also fished in quantity in the lake.

The lake is surrounded by a number of buildings, including the Royal Casina, the Ostrichina, the Grand Restaurant, the Pavilions (stables) and the Green Park, which were all part of a large business employing around 1,000 people at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, most of these buildings are not used for their original purpose, but still serve as tourist destinations.

Antiquity

It may have been the harbour of Cumae in early antiquity. In the 1st century AD an artificial outlet was dug for it at its south end, with a tunnel, lined with opus reticulatum and brick, under the hill of Torregaveta. This hill is covered with the remains of a large villa, which is almost certainly that of Servilius Vatia, described by Seneca. There are remains of other villas on the shores of the lake.

Notes

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Fusaro, Lago". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 368.