Lago di Nemi

Lake Nemi fills the crater of an extinct volcano in the Alban Hills. Known in antiquity as Diana's mirror, it is also associated with the two ships of Caligula recovered from its bed in the twentieth century.

Why it matters

The lake sits within the volcanic Colli Albani, in a wooded crater bordered by Nemi and Genzano. Its name and cultural history are linked to the ancient sanctuary of Diana on its shore. The lake is also associated with the imperial ships of Caligula, raised from its bed during a drainage campaign between 1929 and 1931. The ships were later displayed in the Museo delle Navi Romane, which was destroyed by fire in May 1944.

What to notice

Nemi and Genzano face each other on opposite sides of the crater rim, above water surrounded by woodland. The lake's steep volcanic basin distinguishes it from nearby Lake Albano. Its landscape has also been associated with the cultivation of wild strawberries on the surrounding terraces.

Context and history

The lake's ancient cult history is associated with Diana and her sanctuary. The municipal account links its most famous archaeological episode to two ships built for Caligula, describing them as vessels associated with Isis and Diana and used as floating palaces and for staged spectacles. After Caligula's murder in 41 AD, the ships sank in the lake. A drainage campaign from 1929 to 1931 raised them, and a museum was built to house them. Both ships were destroyed by fire in May 1944 during the Second World War.