Arno

The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is an important river in central Italy, after the Tiber. The Arno has been important for Italy's history and daily life for many years. It flows through some of Italy’s famous cities, shaping the land and helping the people who live nearby.

Source and route

The Arno River starts on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines. It flows south at first, then turns west near Arezzo. The river goes through Florence, Empoli, and Pisa before reaching the Ligurian Sea at Marina di Pisa.

It is the longest river in the area, about 241 kilometres (150 miles) long. The Arno has many smaller rivers that join it, such as the Sieve, Bisenzio, and Ombrone Pistoiese. The land drained by the Arno covers more than 8,200 square kilometres (3,200 square miles).

The Arno flows through Florence, where famous bridges like the Ponte Vecchio and the Santa Trinita bridge are found. In the past, the river sometimes flooded the city. One big flood happened on November 4, 1966, which damaged important artworks and books.

Etymology

The name Arno comes from an old Latin word, Arnus. Experts think the name is linked to very old European languages and means "flow" or "move". This name is also similar to another nearby river called the Reno.

Ecology

The Arno river has many animals that are not from that area. Most of the fish and many small water creatures near Florence are from other places. Some of these are the European catfish, channel catfish, Crucian carp, common bleak, topmouth gudgeon, New Zealand mud snail, and killer shrimp. Near Pisa, people have also found the mud crab.

Uses and human impacts

Water from the Arno river is used for drinking, helping plants grow, and fighting fires. People living near the river also enjoy its help with controlling floods, supporting wildlife, and fishing. The river is important to culture. However, there is a risk that flooding could damage important places and cause pollution.

Mythology and iconography

The river Arno is shown as a river god. He looks like a man with a beard lying down. He holds a container, and water flows from it to show the river. This way of showing the river began in the Renaissance by changing an old statue.