It has a historical past that is lost in the mists of time. An ancient legend tells that the giants Leuterii who invaded the Phlegraean Fields, were chased and killed by Hercules. Their burial gave rise to a source of water that infested the beach of Liternia... #tuttitaly
Not far from Castel Volturno, in the municipality of Giugliano, in Campania, is the Lago Patria, in the homonymous hamlet.
Seen from above, the lake has a heart shape and stretches for about 2 square kilometers. In the past, it housed a rich variety of fauna and flora, natural resources which diminished due to unauthorized buildings and water pollution. However, there are some species of fish whose fishing is managed by the "Lago Patria Fish Society."
In 1999, the lake became part of the Foce Volturno Costa di Licola Nature Reserve, a regional protected area.
Legend
An ancient legend tells that the giants Leuterii that infested the Sylva Gallinara and the Campi Flegrei were chased and killed by Hercules. Their burial gave rise to a source of smelly water that invaded the beach of Liternia.
History
Over the centuries, the lake, thanks to its abundance of fish, has been at the center of a multitude of interests, and its fate was closely linked to the Roman colony of Liternum.
The name "Patria" dates back to the 6th century AD. It is said that Publio Cornelio Scipione, known as "the African," winner of Hannibal, had a villa built on the shores of the lake. Disappointed by politics and far from the clamor and splendor of Rome, he spent his last days here in solitude. On his tomb was engraved the phrase "Ingrata patria ne ossi quidam mea habes" (ungrateful homeland, you will not have my bones).
Over time, the writing was consumed, and there remained only the word "Patria." With this name, the people called the town and the lake.
Lago Patria today
Over the centuries, the lake, in addition to being the object of exploitation and reclamation, has often found itself at the center of contrasts, quarrels, and natural disasters such as the significant fish deaths of August 16, 1785.
In the 1950s, the lake was given to the management of the "Lago Patria fish company," which led it to decay.
With the beginning of building speculation, the lake's size was also reduced, a situation which worsened with the explosion of the lake. The waste emergency of the two years 2007-2008, when, near the lake, several outbreaks were applied to destroy tires or garbage bags, thus polluting the air above.
Furthermore, the lake does not have a pedestrian itinerary for those wishing to walk, nor are there areas to park the car.
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