Fucine Lake, Former lake and agricultural plain in Province of L'Aquila, Italy.
Fucine Lake is a former body of water in the Province of L'Aquila in Italy, now forming a wide plain. The basin stretches between the Monte Sirente-Velino mountain ranges and Mount Salviano at an altitude of 669 meters.
Emperor Claudius ordered 30000 workers to build a six-kilometer tunnel through the nearby hills in 52 CE. Complete drainage only came in the 19th century under Italian engineers who finished the project.
The name comes from the Marsian tribe who lived here and considered the waters sacred. Local festivals still recall the time when fishing and water rituals shaped the life of the people.
The former lake bed is easily reached by local roads today and offers open views toward the surrounding mountains. Visitors exploring the region will find flat fields and small villages along the edges of the basin.
The Space Centre for satellite communications stands exactly where the deepest water of the lake once lay. The facility was built in 1963 and now manages telecommunications satellites from inside the drained basin.
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