Description of the attraction
Marano Lagunare is a small town located near the popular resort of Lignano on the Adriatic coast of Italy. Usually, tourists vacationing in Lignano go on a day trip to Marano - you can get here by boat.
First of all, Marano Lagunare attracts with its atmosphere of the past, reminiscent of the times of the powerful Venetian Republic - Serenissima, as the Italians call it. In that distant era, the city was one of the most important centers of the Republic. Here you can still see the magnificent Venetian palace built in the 15-16th centuries - Loggia Maranese, lined with stone from Istria. Next to the palace is the Torre Millenaria - the Millennium Tower, 32 meters high. The first mentions of it date back to 1066. It probably originally served as an observation tower. The tower was severely damaged during an earthquake in 1976, and its upper part was later rebuilt. On the same square of Marano Lagunare there is another palace - Palazzo dei Provveditori, once the residence of the city's rulers. Today it hosts a variety of cultural events.
Of particular importance is the Laguna Marano, whose varying levels of salinity contribute to the fact that several different ecosystems have been formed and exist on its territory. That is why two nature reserves were created here - Foci dello Stella and Valle Canal Novo.
The first - Foci dello Stella - occupies the delta of the Stella River and the adjacent lagoons. You can only get here by boat. The reserve itself is a vast and lush reed field that is crossed by several streams. The reserve is home to a huge number of bird species, many of which stop here during their migration. And such species as, for example, the red heron nest here. That is why Foci dello Stella is a real paradise for bird watchers.
The second reserve - Valle Canal Novo - consists of a former fishing valley with an area of 35 hectares and several arable lands. The valley is represented by a lagoon with ponds, which are, in fact, a salt marsh, since the valley does not have a constant flow of fresh water (its only sources are rainfall and three artesian wells). On the territory of this reserve, various excursions are carried out with a survey of old fishing houses - kazoni, observatories and a bridge that has sunk under the water. By the way, many kazoni have now been turned into restaurants serving delicious seafood prepared according to traditional recipes.
