The location, situated on the eastern side of the promontory, consists of a small beach and a rocky islet that emerges from the waters, which the locals call “Monte Cuculo.” It can be reached by descending from Piazza Umberto I along an ancient paved ramp and a path that runs alongside the lake. This little corner of paradise served for years as a communal washhouse before becoming a site for fish farming, hosting a fish hatchery managed by the fishermen’s cooperative.
The name of the locality is traditionally traced back to “mergone,” the dialect term for cormorant, an aquatic bird typical of the area. The toponym appears to be very ancient, as in 852 Pope Leo IV used it in a document addressed to Bishop Virobono of Tuscania to outline the boundaries of his diocese. “Mergonem” may have marked the boundary between the territories of Marta and Bisenzio.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, when the Farnese family resided in the Rocca and welcomed their illustrious visitors, Mergonara hosted the castle’s small harbor. One can imagine, for a moment, the allure of curiosity and the festive chatter of the poor inhabitants of the village who could occasionally witness true parades of popes and cardinals, scholars and artists, noblewomen and noblemen. With their entourages, they would descend from the Castle and reach the lake at this very point before boarding elegant boats of the time for pleasant excursions to the islands.