Jesolo

Jesolo or Iesolo (Italian pronunciation: [ˈjɛːzolo]; Venetian: Gèxoło) is a seaside resort town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Venice, Italy of 26,447 inhabitants. With around six million visitors per year, Jesolo is one of the largest beach resorts in the country, and ranks 7th overall as a tourist destination, and fourth (behind Rimini, Cavallino-Treporti, San Michele al Tagliamento/Bibione) most popular Italian seaside resort. With 204,711.4 visits per thousand inhabitants, it is also one of the 50 Italian towns with the greatest tourist pressure. Its 15 kilometre long beaches and proximity to central Europe make it a favourite destination of many Russian, German, Austrian, Dutch and French visitors.

Jesolo
Gèxoło (Venetian)
Città di Jesolo
The beach of Jesolo.
The beach of Jesolo.
Coat of arms of Jesolo
Location of Jesolo
Jesolo is located in Italy
Jesolo
Jesolo
Location of Jesolo in Italy
Jesolo is located in Veneto
Jesolo
Jesolo
Jesolo (Veneto)
Coordinates: 45°32′02″N 12°38′27″E
CountryItaly
RegionVeneto
Metropolitan cityVenice (VE)
FrazioniJesolo Lido, Jesolo Pineta, Passarella di Sotto, Cortellazzo, Ca' Pirami, Ca' Fornera, Passarella di Sotto, Piave Nuovo, Ca' Nani
Government
  MayorChristofer De Zotti
Area
  Total95 km2 (37 sq mi)
Elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (30 April 2022[2])
  Total26,447
  Density280/km2 (720/sq mi)
DemonymJesolani
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
30016
Dialing code0421
Patron saintSt. John the Baptist
Saint day24 June
WebsiteOfficial website
Location of Jesolo in the province of Venice.

Geography

The town lies north of Venice, between Eraclea and Cavallino-Treporti. Jesolo gives its name to a lagoon of 22 square kilometres (8.5 sq mi) on the Adriatic Sea between the rivers Sile and Piave. The urbanized area lies on an island of sorts, delimited by the rivers Piave (on the east) and Sile (on the west), and an artificial canal called Cavetta, which starts from the center of Jesolo and goes towards Cortellazzo.

The Jesolo area stretches along the Venetian coast on a flat landscape overlooking the Adriatic Sea and edged by Jesolo’s own lagoon (22 km), and by the rivers Sile and Piave. This latter is edged by the opposite Laguna del Mort. The valley of Dragojesolo together with that of Grassabò, is the largest in the northern lagoon of Venice. The coastal strip is low and sandy, consisting of an uninterrupted beach about 12 kilometres long and varying in thickness between 30 and 100 metres.

History

In Roman times the lagoon extended over the area now occupied by the town. There were several islands in the lagoon, the biggest of which was known as Equilium, the place of horses. It is thought that Jesolo represents a corruption of this name. On August 1st 2023 a tornado touched down in the town.

Origin of the name

The ancient name of Jesolo was Equilium (from the Latin equos or from Venetian ekvo) which means "town of horses". The name refers to the breeding of horses, for which the ancient Venetians were famous. The current name of Jesolo probably comes from a series of transcription errors of the oldest name (Equilo, Esulo, Lesulo, Jexulo, Jexollo, Jesolum, Giesolo). From the 16th century until 1930, Jesolo was called Cavazzuccherina. This name came from the canal of the same name (in Venetian Cava), opened on 20 April and built by Alvise Zucharin (Zuccherina).

The official spelling used by the municipality is Jesolo but in the same time, the spelling Iesolo is also erroneously used. The use of "J" here is a rare example of a retained archaism, as the letter does not exist in the modern standard Italian alphabet, except in loanwords and proper names.

Economy

The city's economy is mostly based on tourism. Jesolo is a seaside resort with abundant holiday facilities and its 15-kilometre (9 mi) beach called the Lido di Jesolo. At the height of its popularity Jesolo was hosting 6.5 million tourists per year. Competition from new resort towns has reduced the numbers in more recent years. In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jesolo has registered around 3.5 million nights, ranking second among Italian beaches overall.

People

  • Petrus de Natalibus (d. circa 1400), bishop of Equilio from 1370 to his death, and author who compiled the widely circulated book Legends of the Saints.
  • Matteo Momentè (b. 1987), Italian footballer[3] who had played for Inter Milan in the early 2000s but now plays for Pistoiese.
  • Dragan Cigan (1975-2007), Bosnian construction worker and a nonswimmer who jumped into a whirlpool to save two children from drowning before drowning himself. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Civil Valor and a street in Jesolo was named after him.[4]

Sport

The local football team, A.C. Jesolo, is based at the Stadio Armando Picchi and plays in the Prima Categoria Veneto group G.

Jesolo hosts the City of Jesolo Trophy, an international gymnastics competition.

Twin towns

Notes and references

  1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. Data from Istat
  3. "Matteo Momente - Player Profile - Football".
  4. "Dragan Cigan - čovek kome se klanja Italija i čije ime morate da znate" [Dragan Cigan - The Man Before Whom Italy Bows]. Noizz (in Serbian). 18 September 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2023.

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