Lake Fontanej
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| Lake Fontanej | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Pianezza, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy |
| Coordinates | 45°07′19″N 7°31′47″E / 45.12201°N 7.52959°E |
| Type | Glacial |
| Primary inflows | Surface runoff, groundwater springs |
| Basin countries | Italy |
| Surface elevation | 326 m (1,070 ft) |
The Lake Fontanej (Füntanej in Piedmontese) is located in Pianezza, in the Metropolitan City of Turin, at an altitude of 326 meters.
Geology
[edit]Its origin is estimated to date back about 400,000 years, following the deposition of clay that made a small morainic depression, carved by the Riparian glacier, impermeable; currently, the lake is fed by surface waters, mainly runoff ditches, and some groundwater springs.[1]
The small body of water, over the millennia, has risked disappearing several times, but recently the area has undergone a requalification intervention as part of the “Corona Verde” project of the Piedmont Region,[2] whose funds have enabled improvements in the naturalization and accessibility of the area, which is now connected to a cycling network that winds through the entire territory of the Municipality of Pianezza.
Hiking and fishing
[edit]A small path bordered by a curtain of trees and bushes completely surrounds the lake; walking it allows one to encounter picturesque views. In the vicinity of the lake, there is a large grassy area equipped with tables and benches for picnics, and not far away is a model airplane flying field; on one side, there is a farmhouse named after Maria Bricca, a popular Pianezzese heroine who, on the night between 5 and 6 September 1706, led Piedmontese soldiers to ford the Dora Riparia and enter through a secret tunnel into the Pianezza castle, where officers assisting the French engaged in the siege of Turin were stationed. Recently, a project to renovate the farmhouse itself (municipally owned[3]) has been launched, which envisages its transformation into a brewery.
The Fontanej is a fairly popular destination for anglers, who can find medium-sized carp, catfish, and pike in the lake. Water lilies flourish in the water, and ducks, coots, and cormorants are regular visitors to the lake.[4]
Notes
[edit]- ^ "Lago Fontanej" [Lake Fontanej]. cicloturismo.piemonte.it (in Italian). Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Corona Verde" [Green Crown] (in Italian). Regione Piemonte. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Determina n. 368" [Resolution No. 368] (in Italian). Comune di Pianezza. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ Molino, Aldo (25 March 2014). "Quattro passi nei pressi del Lago Fontanej" [Four Steps Near Lake Fontanej]. Piemonte Parchi (in Italian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2019.