Most of us live in apartments or private homes. Everyone is used to the fact that nearby there is work, schools, shops and other institutions necessary for our civilized life. What about settling on an island? Yes, on a small patch of land about half the size of Red Square and located in the middle of the water. Neither the Central Department Store, nor Pyaterochka across the road, nor the road itself. Why are there shops, if you have neighbors, at best, only silent trees and equally taciturn (in human language, at least) birds and animals. Not ready yet? Then let's just find out how things are on the ten smallest islands in the world where people live right now.
List
- 10. Bjarnari Island, Iceland
- 9. Mont Saint-Michel Island, France
- 8. Dunbar Island, Honduras
- 7. Island of Gospa od Skrpjela, Montenegro
- 6. The island of St. George, Montenegro
- 5. Island on Lake Galve, Lithuania
- 4. Pontikonisi Island, Greece
- 3. Island of Visovac, Croatia
- 2. Wilhelmstein Island, Germany
- 1. Island of Lake Bled, Slovenia
10. Bjarnari Island, Iceland
This island is located off the southern coast of Iceland. Its dimensions are such that a person will definitely be able to go around the whole territory in one day. Bjarnari cannot boast of a vibrant life - from the vegetation on the surface of the island there is only grass, there are no constantly living animals here either. The island would have long been recognized uninhabited if not for ... a lonely house covered in legends. The history of the building is not known for certain, just like who lives (and what, in the end, eats) in the house today. There are suggestions that in it during the breeding season of petrels, hunters stop arriving here by helicopter.
9. Mont Saint-Michel Island, France
She is the mountain of St. Michael. This island, located on the northwest coast of France, is essentially a fortress on the water. A small piece of land is surrounded by walls and towers below, in the middle of the island are houses and various buildings. The crown and main attraction of Mont Saint-Michel is considered to be the Benedictine Abbey. In addition to its spiritual and historical significance, the monastery is also a real decoration of the island - as soon as the sun begins to set, Mont-Saint-Michel turns into a picturesque place, thanks to the illumination of the abbey. An amazing island with many cultural values annually attracts the attention of 1.5 to 2 million tourists from all over the world.
8. Dunbar Island, Honduras
As in the case of the island of Bjarnari, a piece of land called Dunbar contains on its surface only one building. However, further comparisons are useless - after all, on a rocky Dunbar there is a luxurious private villa, which actually occupies the entire territory of a tiny island. The owner of such an extravagant dwelling over time decided that he would have too many six bedrooms, and began to rent out his apartments as a hotel. Needless to say, the hotel-island is in good demand and is not empty - it is small, and there are always enough seekers for unusual relaxation among tourists and diving enthusiasts.
7. Island of Gospa od Skrpjela, Montenegro
Again an island on whose territory is located a historical spiritual monument. This time we are talking about Gospod od Skrpjela, which is located near the city of Perast in Montenegro. On the surface of the island there is the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, built by hand in 1630 as a talisman for sailors in swimming and wandering. However, after 47 years, the temple was badly damaged due to the earthquake, and the view in which the church appears before our eyes, it acquired only in 1722. The monastery is the only building on the island - indeed, it is difficult to place something else on an extremely narrow piece of land with an area of 3000 square meters.
6. The island of St. George, Montenegro
To visit the next island on the list, we don’t need to fly to another country, and we don’t even need to change the region of deployment. Well, there, from Gospod od Škrpjel to the island of St. George, so close at hand that this distance can be crossed by breaststroke if you wish. There is also a shrine - another Benedictine abbey, though the building is much more modest than on Mont Saint-Michel. In addition to the church, the surface of the island is occupied by a small forest, which gives a very picturesque landscape. However, you need to admire the views from afar - the island is closed to ordinary people.
5. Island on Lake Galve, Lithuania
But on the island in the middle of Lake Galve, they are very happy to see curious tourists. The reason for their appearance here is the old Trakai castle, built about 6 centuries ago. Indeed, this is rarely seen now: a real brick castle, as if descended from the pages of a fairy tale, and even on a separate island! In addition to the fact that the building itself is an architectural and historical monument, the castle also has the Trakai Museum, illustrating all stages of the life and development of this city. In addition, you can go boating around the castle island, enjoying a romantic evening and a magnificent view of the illuminated fortress.
4. Pontikonisi Island, Greece
The famous land plot in Greece also found its place in our ranking. Pontikonisi is a place where people are in perfect harmony with nature. The island has a lot of vegetation and trees, which makes it a real home for many birds and animals. The waters around the land are literally filled with various types of fish. The human footprint on the island is present in the form of a functioning monastery - the holy monastery is located exactly in the middle of Pontikonisi, surrounded by forests. By the way, the second name of the island (Mouse) is also connected with the temple. The fact is that the stone staircase leading to the monastery from afar is very similar to a mouse tail.
3. Island of Visovac, Croatia
As you can see, in most cases a miniature island becomes inhabited by literally one building. Often such a building is a temple. Visovac in Croatia is no exception. The island has an almost perfect circle shape, and on its territory is a Franciscan monastery. The shrine is surrounded by several dozen cypresses and other trees: along with the ministers of the church, various birds and animals share life on the island. In general, who else, if not monks, can settle on a separate piece of land, the length of the coastline of which is only half a kilometer (it is easy to calculate how many times a day you can go around Visovac up and down).
2. Wilhelmstein Island, Germany
One has only to look out of the corner of the eye at the island of Wilhelmstein, when it immediately becomes clear where we flew to see the next representative of our hit parade. An artificial land plot in the form of a rectangle, the sides of which are verified, it seems, to a centimeter. A strict building erected exactly in the middle of the island is also striking. This is definitely nothing more than German precision! Initially, the island was built as a fortress on the water. A man named Duke Wilhelm Schaumburg-Lippe with his help planned to defend his own county and built a military college here. In fairness, the idea worked (the island really managed to repulse the enemy’s attack), however, after the death of William. Today, there is a museum.
1. Island of Lake Bled, Slovenia
Well, here we got to the most interesting. How, again, a church in the forest? In fact, this is so - on the island of Lake Bled there really is the Mariinsky Church with a bell tower of a medieval building. Thousands of lovers come here every year to not only register their relationship, but also to get married, having gone through 99 happy steps leading to the temple. The uniqueness of this piece of land lies in the optical illusion that accompanies its contemplation. The fact is that if you look at the island, being on the same level with it, you get the feeling that it just hangs in the air! The visual effect is enhanced during fog. Therefore, this island is also called "flying."