Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Harbour

Ancona was founded in 387 BC by Greek colonists from Syracuse. Today it is a port city of about 100.000 inhabitants and the capital of the Marche region. The port has always been of great importance because it was the shortest sea connection to Dalmatia. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Ancona was attacked successively by the Goths and Lombards between the 3rd and 5th centuries but recovered its strength and importance. It was one of the cities of the Pentapolis of the Exarchate of Ravenna. In 840, Saracen raiders sacked and burned the city. After 1000, Ancona became increasingly independent, eventually turning into a maritime republic, often clashing against the nearby power of Venice. In the 12th century, it was strong enough to push back the forces of the Holy Roman Empire. Its ships took part in the Crusades. In the struggle between the Popes and the Holy Roman Emperors Ancona sided with the Guelphs. The Malatesta, took the city in 1348. They were ousted in 1383. In 1532 Ancona definitively lost its freedom and became part of the Papal States.

Lindau, located near the borders to Austria and Switzerland, was mentioned first time in 882 when a nunnery was founded here. The old town is on an island, which meanwhile is connected with the mainland by a road bridge and a railway dam. The church of St. Stephan was built around 1180, Franciscans founded a monastery here in 1224. In 1274/75 Lindau became an Imperial Free City under King Rudolf I. Lindau became Protestant in 1528. The nunnery remained Catholic while the Franciscan monastery, from which the first Reformation preachers came, was closed. During the Thirty Years' War, Lindau was unsuccessfully besieged by Swedish troops in 1646/47. Between 1445 and 1761, 18 people were indicted in witch trials in Lindau. The last victim of the witch hunt was Maria Madlener, who was executed on August 4, 1730. In 1856 a new harbour was built. The entrance to the harbour has its characteristic landmarks, the lion sculpture and Bavaria's only and Germany´s most southern lighthouse.

Benodet translates to the "Mouth" of the river "Odet" and since medieval times a commercial port existed here trading fish in exchange for wine with the Bordeaux area. Today the whole area is a "holiday region" so here are yachts and leisure boats now.