Aragonese Castle, Ischia Camera
December 7, 2009
Ischia is a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, at the northern end of the Gulf of Naples. It is almost entirely mountainous, with the highest peak being Mount Epomeo.
The roughly trapezoidal island is formed by a complex volcano. The eruption of the trachytic Green Tuff ignimbrite about 56,000 years ago was followed by caldera formation. Volcanism during the Holocene produced a series of pumiceous tephras, tuff rings, lava domes, and lava flows.
An acropolis site of the Monte Vico area was inhabited from the Bronze Age. Euboean Greeks from Eretria and Chalcis arrived in the 8th century BC to establish an emporium for trade with the Etruscans of the mainland. The Aragonese Castle was built on a rock near the island in 474 BC, by Hiero I of Syracuse.
Today the castle is accessed through a tunnel along which there is a small chapel consecrated to Saint John Joseph of the Cross, the patron saint of the island. The Ferrandino Family, who still live on Ischia, are the rightful owners of the Castello Aragonese.
Tauranga, New Zealand Webcam
November 29, 2009
Tauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Due to its sheltered position, Tauranga enjoys a warm, dry climate.
The Port of Tauranga is New Zealand’s largest export port, with brisk but seasonal shipping traffic. It is a regular stop for both container ships and luxury cruise liners.
The coastal suburb Papamoa and neighbouring town Mount Maunganui are some of the more affluent areas around Tauranga. The region’s beaches attract swimmers, surfers, kayakers and kitesurfers.
Tauranga has many outlying islands and reefs that make it a notable tourist destination point for traveling scuba divers and marine enthusiasts. Extensive marine life diversity is available to scuba divers all year round.
Greater Tauranga is a very popular retirement and tourism destination. It features many natural attractions and scenery. Cultural attractions include the Tauranga Art Gallery which opened in October 2007.
Vágar, Faroe Islands Webcams
March 29, 2009
Vágar is one of the 18 islands in the archipelago of the Faroe Islands and the most westerly of the large islands. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Faroese, of Norse and Celtic descent.
The Faroe Islands are dominated by tholeiitic basalt lava which was part of the great Thulean Plateau during the Paleogene period.
The early history of the Faroe Islands is not well known. Irish hermits (monks) settled in the sixth century, introducing sheep and oats and the early Irish language to the islands. Saint Brendan, who lived circa 484–578, is said to have visited the Faroe Islands on two or three occasions (512-530 AD), naming two of the islands Sheep Island and Paradise Island of Birds.
Due to the rocky terrain and relatively small size of the Faroe Islands, its transportation system was not as extensive as other places of the world. Vágar Airport has scheduled service to destinations from Vágar Island. The largest Faroese airline is Atlantic Airways.
Second camera located here.
Lampedusa Island Webcam
March 22, 2009
Lampedusa belongs to Italy and is the largest of the Pelagie Islands, situated 205 km from Sicily and 113 km from Tunisia. Lampedusa is also known as being the gateway from Europe to Africa.
The Isola dei Conigli (literally ‘Island of Rabbits’), which is close to the south coast of Lampedusa, is one of the last remaining egg-laying sites in Italy for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, which is endangered throughout the Mediterranean. Next to Parise Cape is a small beach accessible only by sea, through a low grotto.
Historically, Lampedusa was a landing place and a maritime base for the ancient Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs. The Romans established a plant for the production of the prized fish sauce known as garum. As a result of pirate attacks by the Arabs, the island became uninhabited.
The first prince of Lampedusa and Linosa was Giulio Tomasi, ancestor of the famous writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, who received the title from Charles II of Spain in 1630. Giuseppe Tomasi is most famous for his only novel, Il Gattopardo (first published posthumously in 1958, translated as The Leopard) which is set in Sicily during the Risorgimento.
Erice, Trapani Webcam
March 22, 2009
Erice is located on top of Mount Erice, and overlooks the city of Trapani, and the dramatic Punta del Saraceno, providing spectacular views.
The ancient name of Erice was Eryx, and its foundation was associated with the eponymous Greek hero Eryx. It was not a Greek colony, but was largely Hellenized. It was destroyed in the First Punic War by the Carthaginians, and from then on declined in importance.
In the northeastern portion of the city there are the remains of ancient Elymian and Phoenician walls indicating different stages of settlement and occupation in antiquity.
There are two castles, Pepoli Castle, which dates from Saracen times, and the Venus Castle, from the Norman period, built on top of the ancient Temple of Venus, where Venus Ericina was worshipped. According to legend, the temple was founded by Aeneas.
It was well-known, and an ancient cult was celebrated there. In his book On the Nature of Animals, Aelian writes that animals chosen for sacrifice would voluntarily walk up to the altar to be killed.
Kalmar, Sweden Webcam
March 15, 2009
Kalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. From the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries, Kalmar was one of Sweden’s most important cities.
The area around Kalmar has been inhabited since ancient times. Diggings have found traces of stone age gravefields. The oldest sources of there being a town are however from the 11th century. According to a medieval folk tale, the Norwegian patron Saint Olav had his ships moved to Kalmar. The oldest city seal of Kalmar is from somewhere between 1255-1267, making it the oldest known city seal in Scandinavia.
Geographically Kalmar is the main route to the island of Öland thanks to the Öland Bridge which can be seen in the background. It became a fortified city, with the still mighty Kalmar Castle as the center.
In the 12th century the first foundations of a castle were established, with the construction of a round tower for guard and lookout. The tower was continuously expanded on in 13th century. In the 1540s, first King Gustav Vasa, and later his sons Erik XIV of Sweden and John III of Sweden would organize a rebuilding of the castle into the magnificent Renaissance castle it is today.
Bastia, Corsica Webcam
February 27, 2009
Corsica is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia.
Corsica, like all the other Mediterranean islands, was home to indigenous animals of the Pleistocene Epoch. After the proliferation of man in the Mesolithic, these began to disappear.
The extinct species are Cynotherium sardous, Megaloceros cazioti, Prolagus sardus, Bubo insularis and Athene angelis. Birds were especially hard-hit. Some species that disappeared were Haliaeetos albicilla and Aquila heliaca.
An unusual feature of the island is the herbaceous fragrance of the dense Corsican brush — lavender, honeysuckle, rosemary, cyclamen, myrtle and wild mint. Napoleon left Corsica as a young man, and although he never returned, when exiled on the nearby island of Elba, he claimed he often enjoyed the aroma of Corsica on the west wind.
Son Serra de Marina Camera
February 21, 2009
Majorca is the largest island of Spain. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Balearic Islands archipelago.
Majorca has been inhabited since antiquity. Burial chambers and traces of habitation from the Paleolithic period (6000–4000 BC) have been discovered. The island was occupied by the Romans in 123 BC under Quintus Caecilius Metellus. It flourished under Roman rule, during which time the towns of Pollentia (Alcúdia), and Palmaria (Palma) were founded. The local economy was driven by Olive cultivation, viniculture, and salt mining. Majorcan soldiers were valued within the Roman legions for their skill with the sling.
Famous Majorcans include writer and philosopher Ramon Llull and Junípero Serra, the Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California.
Frédéric Chopin and George Sand, romantically involved, rented space from a monastery for a short time.
