Gulf of Taranto
The Gulf of Taranto ( Italian: Golfo di Taranto ), named after the city of Taranto , is a large bay in southern Italy . The gulf lies between the two southern foothills of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula . The "heel" of the boot in the east belongs to Apulia , the "tip" of the boot in the west to Calabria . In between are the coastal sections of the Basilicata region .
geography
The golf stretches for hundreds of kilometers. It is part of the Ionian Sea , which in turn is part of the Mediterranean .
The most important places on the Gulf of Taranto are:
- Tarent (Taranto)
- Corigliano Calabro (with the district of Schiavonea on the coast)
- Crotone (in the far west and beyond)
- Gallipoli
- Nardo Galatone
- Rossano
Ancient places:
In the Gulf there are the islands of Cheradi , the container terminal of Taranto and the Molo Sant'Eligio marina , as well as Campomarino of Maruggio , Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca .
The gulf is lined with pine groves, gravel and sandy beaches as well as cliffs that drop steeply into the sea and offer a varied landscape. The crystal clear and deep blue sea is known for its abundance of fish and is particularly popular with divers.
Rating as "historical bay"
In ancient times , the region played an important role as part of the Magna Graecia long before the rise of the Roman Empire (see also History of Taranto ).
Since the Presidential Decree No. 816 of April 26, 1977, the Gulf has been considered a “historical bay” and is therefore considered by Italy as an inland sea under the full jurisdiction of the Italian state . In order to assert the historicity , one invokes acts and regulations of the Italian Empire and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies , with the exception of the treatise between Taranto and Rome in 303 BC, cited by the Roman historian Appian . BC , which established the exclusivity of shipping, fishing, customs rights, military servitude and cabotage . During the First World War , a shipping ban was imposed for military reasons.
This interpretation has been challenged several times by the governments of the United States , the United Kingdom and Malta . The dispute seems to have long since been dropped, partly because of better military ties between governments; an important naval base of NATO has its seat in the Gulf of Taranto.
curiosity
- The "Clementine from the Gulf of Taranto", an Italian IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) product, is a cross between a mandarin and an orange .
- In the Mar Grande of Taranto near Capo San Vito you can admire the Cristo del Mare at a depth of 8 m.
See also
Coordinates: 39 ° 53 ' N , 17 ° 17' E