A terrific photo of Orbetello in the middle of the lagoon which is bordered by the tombola of Giannella to the the north and Feneglia to the south, and connected the the peninsula of Argentario by the Ponte della Diga bridge, which was built in 1842 by Grand Duke Leopold II of Lorraine. The last surviving Spanish mill is in the the foreground, one of originally nine build by the Sienese and renovated by the Spanish, and which used wind power and water to grind the wheat brought to the mill by boat.

The Spanish conqured the region in 1557 and established the State of the Presidio with Orbetello as it’s capital; they fortified the city walls with huge battlements and earthworks, built a large gunpowder magazine that is now used as the archeological museum, and the Governor-General ruled from the palace on Piazza Eroe dei due Mondi, with it’s very Spanish style windows, balcony, and clock tower.