Island of Montecristo

The Island of Montecristo, formerly known as Oglasa, is one of the wildest and most inaccessible islands of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago. To preserve its unique nature, it has been designated a State Integral Nature Reserve by ministerial decree on March 4, 1971, and a Biogenetic Nature Reserve recognized by the Council of Europe since 1988.

In 1899, the island became an exclusive hunting reserve for King Victor Emmanuel III of Savoy and remained so until the establishment of the Natural Reserve.

Curiosity: The island became famous through Alexandre Dumas’ novel "The Count of Monte Cristo", which tells the story of a legendary hidden treasure at Montecristo, in the Abbey of San Mamiliano, built in the 1600s by Benedictine monks.

Montecristo is a small jewel covering 10.4 square kilometers, mainly composed of gray-pink granite, with a pyramid-like shape that gives it an aura of inaccessibility. Few trails lead to the island’s two highest peaks: Monte Fortezza (645 meters) and Cima dei Lecci (563 meters). Its steep cliffs make access difficult, with Cala Maestra on the western side being the only accessible landing point.

The island’s isolation has allowed the flourishing of numerous plant and animal species once widespread throughout the Archipelago. The vegetation consists mainly of Mediterranean scrub with tree heather, rosemary, rockrose, everlasting flowers, and marjoram, providing an important refuge for migratory birds.

Among the wildlife, the wild goat is the most distinctive species, likely introduced by ancient sailors, and has now adapted perfectly to the environment. Also present is the rare Sardinian Discoglossus, a frog native to the Sardinian-Corsican region.

Montecristo is a passage point for many migratory birds and hosts important seabird species, including the Audouin’s gull and the Yelkouan shearwater, with colonies of European significance. Birds of prey such as the kestrel, the rare golden eagle, and the occasional raven can also be spotted.

Montecristo is also home to some endemic reptile species, including the Italian four-lined snake and the Montecristo viper.

The marine environment is equally rich, with seagrass meadows, sea anemones, corals, and until about 40 years ago, Montecristo was also home to the Mediterranean monk seal, a species now rare throughout the Mediterranean.

Curiosity: Although not filmed on the island, the successful miniseries "The Count of Monte Cristo", directed by Bille August and aired on Rai 1 and RaiPlay in January 2025, brought renewed attention to Montecristo. The island, which inspired Alexandre Dumas’ famous novel, continues to fuel the legend of its hidden treasure.

Today, Montecristo is virtually uninhabited, except for a few rangers from the Italian Forest Corps. However, until the 16th century, it was home to a monastic community, with remnants of the ancient abbey and the Monastery of San Mamiliano still visible in an area known as "Il Convento". Also still visible is the cave where legend says the saint lived. The only existing building currently on the island, inhabited by the park ranger, is the Villa Reale at Cala Maestra, built by its former owner, the Englishman George Watson-Taylor, and now housing a small Natural History Museum.

Origin of the Name

According to legend, the name Montecristo is linked to San Mamiliano, who, after being captured and enslaved, managed to escape and take refuge on the island, living in solitude and meditation in a cave, now called Grotta del Santo or Grotta di San Mamiliano. He renamed the island "Mons Christi." Legend also tells that Mamiliano courageously killed a terrible winged dragon guarding the island, and from its death, a spring of pure water emerged. The cult of San Mamiliano is still deeply felt throughout the Tuscan Archipelago; in Marina di Campo, a church dedicated to him celebrates his feast on September 15 every year.