Gorgona Island (Tuscany) - the last prison island in Italy

Gorgona island, Tuscany, Italy

Perhaps not everyone knows that 18 miles from Livorno, between the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian Seas, there is Gorgona, a small island unofficially known as the "Prison Island". For the few who know it, Gorgona Island is the location of an open-type correctional colony. This place could have been a paradise on earth, but for some reason, it has become an Alcatraz. It owes its second name to the correctional facility located here, where about 70 prisoners serve their sentence and about as many employees work.

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Since its establishment as an open-air agricultural correctional colony in 1869, time seems to have stood still here, on one hand preserving the beauty of the island, and on the other hand directing it towards oblivion and degradation. Prisoners are allowed to move freely around the island and are typically involved in agricultural work, taking care of olive trees, vegetable gardens, and vineyards that have been producing wine for over 700 years for the Frescobaldi family. This is a social project born out of the collaboration between Frescobaldi and the Gorgona penitentiary institute. Frescobaldi's agronomists and oenologists have been working with prisoners since 2011, providing them with skills in viticulture and winemaking. The "Gorgona" project began in August 2012 thanks to the partnership between Frescobaldi and "Gorgona", the only island prison in Europe.

Here, prisoners spend their final years of imprisonment working and living in close contact with nature, while also developing the skills necessary for their return to society. Today, the vineyard covers an area of two hectares, including the original plot and a second plot planted in 2015. The Vermentino and Ansonica grape varieties grown in this vineyard produce the grapes for Gorgona wine, the product of a unique location and human labor, a symbol of hope and freedom.

Gorgona is little known compared to other islands in the archipelago, such as Elba (the place of Napoleon's exile), Giglio (where the Costa Concordia cruise ship wrecked), and Montecristo (the setting of Alexandre Dumas' novel). However, it stands out for its beautiful and untouched nature, writes Lonely Planet.

The island is poorly connected to the mainland, but it has recently become accessible for visits. There is a restriction on the maximum number of visitors per year.

This year, for the first time, the island is open for free access. Visitors can get there by boat, which departs at 7:45 from the Tuscan port of Livorno. The boat can carry no more than 75 visitors, who must then return no later than 19:30. In addition, walking on the island is only allowed in the company of a local guide.

Sources:

https://www.frescobaldi.com/en/estates/gorgona

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The island of Bastoy - a Norwegian hell turned into a paradise for prisoners

Bastoy island, Horten, Norway

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Alcatraz Island - a former prison in the San Francisco Bay

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Solovetsky camp of special purpose (SLON, "Solovki")

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Ognenny Island - a special regime zone for lifelong prisoners in Russia

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The island of Mont-Saint-Michel - the Maritime Bastille, the French Solovki

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Embarcadère Frioul If, 1 Quai de la Fraternité, Marseille, France

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