Montecristo, also Monte Cristo (, ) and formerly Oglasa (), is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and part of the Tuscan Archipelago. Administratively it belongs to the municipality of Portoferraio in the province of Livorno, Italy. The island has an area of , is approximately wide at its widest point, and is long; the coasts are steep, and extend for . The island is a state nature reserve and forms part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park.
Much of the island's fame is derived from the fact that it provides the title of the 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, and is one of the novel's settings.
History
The history of the island begins with the Iron Age. The Etruscans exploited the forests of oak needed to fuel the bloomeries of the mainland where the iron ore of Elba's mines was melted. The Greeks gave Montecristo its oldest known name, Oglasa or Ocrasia, after the yellowish colour of the rocks. The Romans, however, knew it under the name Mons Jovis ("Mount Jupiter"), and erected an altar to Iuppiter Optimus Maximus on the highest mountain, of which some traces remain. During the imperial age, the Romans opened some quarries to extract granite, perhaps used in the construction of villas on the islands of Giglio, Elba, and Giannutri.
Around the middle of the fifth century AD, the caves of the island became home to several hermits escaping from the Vandals of Genseric, the most important of whom was St. Mamilian. In 1216, the monks joined the order of the Camaldolese. Thanks to the donations of several noble families, the monastery became powerful and rich, and this gave rise to the legend of treasure hidden on the island. The Ailanthus trees were also to be eradicated. The mountain chain that crosses the island has three main peaks: Monte della Fortezza (645 m), Cima del Colle Fondo (621 m) and Cima dei Lecci (563 m). The state nature reserve Isola di Monte Cristo is a biogenetic reserve of 1,039 hectares established in 1971 by ministerial decree to protect the unique nature of the island. and recognized as a site of pan-European interest.
thumb|The beach of Cala Maestra
Visitors face a number of restrictions. It is not possible to stay overnight, and swimming, and surfing are prohibited within 1 kilometer of the coast. It is possible to cruise within three miles () of the coast, but fishing is not allowed. Access by sea is possible only at Cala Maestra (where the seabed is sandy) and with an approach course perpendicular to the coast; it is possible to dock at the pier or tie up against a buoy, but dropping anchor is not allowed; there is also a small heliport for emergencies. To visit the island, one must apply for access at the Forestry Corps in Follonica.
Visitors with basic authorization must stay at Cala Maestra, and can visit only the Royal Villa, the botanical garden, and the museum. The waiting list for access is long, since the limit for visitors has been set at only 1,000 per year. The average waiting time for approval to visit is three years, and priority is given to scientific expeditions, associations, and schools. Tours take place only on three existing trails, all of which are very challenging.
Landmarks
- Monastery of St. Mamiliano
- Cave of St. Mamiliano
- Fortress of Monte Cristo on the island's highest peak (645 m)
- Royal Villa
- Natural History Museum
- Botanical Garden
- Mill at the Grotto of St. Mamiliano (ruins)
- Chapel of Santa Maria at the Cala di Santa Maria (ruins)
See also
- List of islands of Italy
- Introduced mammals on seabird breeding islands
- The Count Of Monte Cristo