Nature

Nature The Monti Sibillini Park

A mountain range which rises in the heart of Italy , with its highest peak, Mt Vettore, reaching 2.476 metres. Here , in the kingdom of the mythical Sybil, the National Park of the Sibillini Mountains (70,000 hectares approx.) was established in 1993 in order to safeguard the environment, promote sustainable socio-economic development and create a” Park for everybody”. Wolf, golden eagle, peregrine falcon and several other species are the evidence of wide biological variety and wealth which have concurred, together with the charm of the abbeys and the old medieval towns which stand at the foot of these mountains , to create an ancient,evocative world where time seems to have stopped to pay tribute to such unique reality.

www.sibillini.net www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.monti.sibillini

Nature: The legend of Sibilla The Sibillini Mountains have always been surrounded in mystery. Proof of this can be found in

the names of several places that recall mythical, fairy-tale like, infernal characters or places: Passo Cattivo(Bad Passage), Pizzo del Diavolo (Devil’s Point), Grotta delle Fate(Faires’Cave), Gola dell’Infernaccio ( Hell’s Gorge) ….

The name itself of this mountain range comes from the well known popular tale that, set in the Sibilla’s Cave, spread mystery on the village of Montemonaco.

The Sibilla’s Cave is a rocky opening at 2173 on the top of a basalt mount by the same name. Medieval literature , based on popular traditions, indicates Mount Sibilla as the sumptuous residence of Sibilla Alcina, who was confined to live in the depth of the mountain for her rebellion against God.

The imaginative tales have fascinated a lot of Italian and foreign writers, among these Andrea da Barberino who,in 1410, wrote “ The Guerrin Meschino”, and then the French Antoine De La Sale , writer of “The Paradis of the Reine Sibille”.

People described the cave as a huge square room with a tunnel going into the core of the earth and many tried to go down it but, frightened, they ran away, pursued by demons and witches. In 1953 the last expedition . Then a landslide, caused by an explosion to try to enlarge the cave, obstructed the entrance to the cave thus holding the enigma of Sibilla for ever.

The charm of Sibillini Mountains remains and in 1993 the National Park was born. Our poet Giacomo Leopardi defined them “Monti Azzurri”.

The Park nearby Amandola

Fiastra Lake

Ussita: sunset

Montefortino

The Park nearby Norcia

The Park nearby Amandola

The Park in the neighbourhood of Norcia

Texts by 3th OCB classPhotographic reportage realised for the project “The Twinning : an idea of identity,an atelier of abilities”School Year 2007/2008

For more information:www.provincia.macerata.itwww.comune.sarnano.mc.it www.aptsarnano.itwww.montiazzurriturismo.it www.sibillini.net www.turismo.marche.itwww.sarnanoinbici.it

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