Description of the attraction
National Park "Monti Sibillini", the name of which can be translated as the Park of the Mysterious Mountains, spreads over an area of 71, 5 thousand hectares in the Italian regions of Umbria and Marche. It was created in 1993 to protect landscapes that combine magical nature, ancient history and rich culture. The main peak of the Sibillini mountain range, located in the heart of Italy, is Monte Vettore (2476 m). In total, there are 10 peaks in the park, the height of which exceeds 2 thousand meters, - Monte Sibilla, Redentore, Monte Priora, Monte Argentella, etc. The eastern slopes of the mountains are characterized by narrow valleys of the Azo, Tenna and Ambro rivers, and the Pian di plains are located on the western slopes. Castelluccio. In addition to several rivers, the park has an artificial Fiastra lake and a Lago di Pilato lake.
The flora of the park is represented by 1800 species of plants, among which there are Apennine edelweiss, yellow alpine lumbago, stemless resins, curly lilies, bearberries and a huge variety of orchids. In the forests, you can see fluffy oaks, hop graves, white ash trees, Austrian oaks, chestnuts, hornbeams, beeches and white maples. The diverse ecosystems of the park are home to numerous species of animals - wolves, wild cats, porcupines, rare martens, snow voles and roe deer. And over 150 species of birds live here! These are golden eagles, peregrine falcons, hawks, eagle owls, stone partridges, snow finches and alpine jackdaws.
But apart from the wild nature "Monti Sibillini" is rich in monuments of history and architecture - ancient abbeys and churches, medieval cities and fortresses lying on the slopes and at the foot of the mountains. Among the most interesting buildings are the Church of San Vincenzo in Amandola, the temples of Madonna del Ambro in Montefortino, Santa Maria in Casalicchio in Montemonaco, Santa Maria in Pantano in Montegallo, the monasteries of Montesanto, Santa Scolastika and Madonna delle Grazie in Norcia, the abbey of Sant Eutizi, the hermitage of Grotta dei Frati in Chessapalombo, etc.
A visit to the town of Visso, founded 10 centuries before the Roman Empire and remarkable for its castles and observation towers, can be interesting for tourists. Nearby is the Gola della Valnerina gorge, cut by the rapid Nera River. In the northern part of the park there are the so-called Ragnolo meadows, covered in summer with amazingly beautiful orchids and lilies. In the same place, in the Fiastrone Valley, there is the Grotta dei Frati - an ancient hermitage. And if you go along the river to Lake Fiastra, you can discover the secluded Akvasanta Valley with picturesque waterfalls and the Bear's Grotto. A walk to Lake Lago di Pilato, located at the top of Monte Vettore, can be no less interesting - according to legend, Pontius Pilate himself is buried in the waters of this lake. Not far from this place is Gola del Infernaccio - a gorge in which traces of the activity of the turbulent Tenna River are clearly visible.
