Lake Albano (Italian: Lago Albano or Lago di Castel Gandolfo) is a small volcanic crater lake in the Alban Hills of Lazio, at the foot of Monte Cavo, 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Rome. Overlooking it is Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope has a villa.
It was known to the Roman Empire as Albanus Lacus. In its vicinity stood Alba Longa.
The lake is the deepest, about 170 m (560 ft), in Lazio. It is about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) long by 2.3 km (1.4 mi) wide, formed by the overlapping union of two volcanic craters, an origin indicated by the ridge in its center, which rises to a depth of 70 m (230 ft). Plutarch reports that in 406 BC the lake surged over the surrounding hills, despite there being no rain nor tributaries into the lake to explain it (Life of Camillus). The ensuing flood destroyed fields and vineyards, eventually pouring into the sea.
It hosted the canoeing and rowing events of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games that were held at Rome. The lane marking system developed for these events is commonly referred to as the Albano buoy system.
