The regional natural park of Simbruini Mountains
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The regional natural park of Simbruini Mountains belongs to the towns of Camerata Nuova, Cervara di Roma, Subiaco, Jenne, Trevi nel Lazio, Filettino and Vallepietra. The park covers an area of about 30,000 hectares between the Aniene valley in the west/north-west, the Sacco valley in the south-west, the border with Abruzzi in the east (Simbruini Mountains of Abruzzi and Carseolani Mountains), and Ernici Mountains in the south-east, belonging to the towns of Camerata Nuova, Cervara di Roma,
A great calcareous chain on the border between Abruzzo and Lazio, the "Monti Simbruini" have their highest peaks in the Mount Autore (1853 m.), Tarino (1961 m.), Cotento (2014 m.) and Viglio (2156 m.).
Very famous is Mount Livata (1400 m.), a well-known holiday resort in the summer and skiing paradise in the winter.
Regional Park of Simbruini Mountains
Only an hour away from Rome it is a typical protected area of the Apennines with all the mystery and charm of an intact and wild natural area. The protected area has peaks of over two thousand meter with rocky ridges and spectacular tablelands, vast beech tree woods, large karstic plateaus, spring waters ("sub imbribus", under the rain), scattered with small towns (the seven Park Municipalities) rich in ancient historical and artistic evidences, like the Benedictine Monasteries of Subiaco and the Sanctuary of SS. Trinità in Vallepietra.
The geological history of Simbruini Mountains, like that characterizing most of the Italian peninsula, is rather complex and linked to phenomena which date back to about 200 million years ago and have not yet completely exhausted.
The different landscapes forming the natural environment of the Park are the expression of such events and of the deep geological differences they have originated during the centuries.
It is a land of water that imbues the Karstic terrain and reemerges everywhere in the form of streams and waterfalls, supplying some of the most important hydraulic sources in the region.
View of Mt. Viglio
The name of Simbruini Mountains derives from the extraordinary abundance of rainfall ("sub imbribus", under the rain) which characterizes the seasonal trend, above all in Spring and Autumn, and gives life to one of the largest and most important spring networks of the Region. Therefore, water represents the major natural resource of our Park and the River Aniene its most important fluvial way.
Everywhere there are abundant depressions, furrowed fields and dolinas (sinks) which capture and absorbe water. The most important grottoes (caves) are "Pozzo of Vallepietra", "Simbrivio's Grotto" and "Pertuso's Grotto" in Filettino territory, near the border with Trevi nel Lazio.
