A Bespoke Tour for Explorers of Beauty BASILICATA BASILICA Pollino National Park
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POLLINO NATIONAL PARK Itineraries and enchantment in the secret places of a land to be discovered A bespoke tour for explorers of beauty BASILICATA BASILICA Pollino National Park Credits ©2019 Agenzia di Promozione Territoriale BASILICATA Via del Gallitello, 89 - 85100 POTENZA Concept and Design Vincenzo Petraglia Editorial planning and direction Maria Teresa Lotito Graphic design and layout Vincenzo Petraglia in partnership with Xela Art Image search and selection Maria Teresa Lotito English translation of the Italian original Global Voices - Milano Photographs Basilicata Tourist Board Archive Basilicata Archaeological Heritage Department Archive Printed by Alfagrafica Volonnio - Lavello (PZ) Thanks to: The Basilicata Archaeological Heritage Department, all the Municipalities, Associations, and Pro Loco organisations which provided the photographic material. Distributed free of charge The Tourist Board has published the information in this booklet for information purposes only. The utmost care has been taken in checking the information provided in this booklet. Printing errors or involuntary omissions excluded. 3 BASILICATA BASILICAPOLLINO Pollino National Park MATERA POTENZA da non perdere anche... NOEPOLI LATRONICO CASTELSARACENO CALVERA CARBONE TEANA the itinerary FARDELLA EPISCOPIA CASTRONUOVO S.ANDREA CHIAROMONTE CERSOSINO FRANCAVILLA IN SINNI SAN GIORGIO LUCANO S.COSTANTINO Start E S.PAOLO ALBANESE CASTELLUCCIO S.SEVERINO INF. E SUP. VIGGIANELLO ROTONDA TERRANOVA DI POLLINO 4 BASILICATA Pollino National Park BASILICA The Lucan Olympus Pollino is a giant from all points of view. On account of the massif after which it is named, it being the tallest in the region, the fact that it is Italy's largest national park, and because it being home to a true botanical rarity, the centuries-old Bosnian Pine. WHERE SKY AND EARTH MEET The huge profile of the Pollino massif rises towards the sky reaching a height of more than 2000 metres. It is the tallest mountain in the Basilicata region. ROM THE ITALIAN COAST it must gods who populated that fascinating have reminded the Achaeans mythological world. In fact, at least Fof the ancient Ionian colonies of according to a number of scholars, Magna Graecia , of Mount Olympus it appears that it was indeed the in the motherland with its mammoth Achaeans of Sybaris who gave the silhouette at the point where the sky Pollino massif its name. The name itself meets the earth, the abode of the derives from Mons Apollineum, or Mount 4 ASILICATA BASILICATA an Olympus must-see towns Castelluccio Superiore Castelluccio Inferiore Rotonda Viggianello San Severino Lucano Terranova di Pollino San Costantino Albanese San Paolo Albanese Noepoli Latronico Castelsaraceno Calvera Carbone Teana Fardella Episcopia of Apollo, so-named as the mountainous Castronuovo Sant’Andrea giant was chosen as the abode of one Chiaromonte of their most worshipped and most Cersosimo important gods, the son of Zeus. And in Francavilla in Sinni turn it is from the Pollino massif, which San Giorgio Lucano includes a number of peaks over two thousand metres above sea level, that 5 BASILICATA Pollino National Park BASILICA It is Italy's largest Park and c the Pollino National Park takes its name. It is Italy's largest national park, covering an area of 192,000 hectares and is a treasure trove of incredible natural wonders and contrasting landscapes that make it one of the most interesting and amazing national parks in Italy. Established in 1993, the park extends over two regions, Basilicata and Calabria, and over three provinces, Potenza, Matera, and Cosenza. It FLOWING WATER extends from the wilder and lusher Tyrrhenian side around the The Park has many rivers, Orsomarso Mountains to the other more barren and majestic waterfalls, ponds, and springs that make it a true water kingdom. Grotta del Romito (Romito’s Cave) and its prehistoric graffiti This cave is located in the municipality of Papasidero not far from the Basilicata - Calabria border and boasts one of the most extraordinary recent finds that was discovered in 1961. A 1.2-metre rock engraving depicting a bovid dated to about 10800 B.C. was found in the Grotta del Romito. The proportions of the drawing are perfect, indeed stunning, and there is incredible attention to detail, specifically the nostrils, the mouth, a hint of the eye, and the ear. Below the great figure of the bull is another, more subtly engraved figure, likely to be a depiction of a calf. A number of other finds have been made in the cave, including several double burials. A cast of one of these that is accessible to visitors has been created while the original skeletons are preserved in various archaeological museums. Shards of pottery have been found that reveal the existence of obsidian trade from the Aeolian Islands as well as lytic PALEONTOLOGICAL EDEN fragments found in the various temporal layers coming Above, the cast of a prehistoric to light during the excavation work which testify to the couple dated to about fact that this place was frequented by man from about 9200 B.C. and (side) the graffiti 17000 B.C. in the Grotta del Romito. 6 ASILICATA BASILICATA and covers an area of 192,000 hectares The Park is part of the European and Global network of National Geoparks, operating in partnership with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre. www.parcopollino.gov side that gradually such as the valleys of the rivers Mercure, PURE NATURE The Park is a veritable approaches the Ionian Frido, Sarmento, Sinni and Serrapotamo explosion of green Sea. A natural treasure It also boasts rare geological treasures with extremely rare set in the heart of that can be seen in rocky outcrops, tree species such as the the Mediterranean deep faults such as that in the south Bosnian Pine (left). containing the highest face of Timpa Falconara, galleries peaks in the southern and formidable chasms that stretch Apennine arc which for miles into the bowels of the Earth are snow-capped for most of the year. such as the "Piezze 'i trende" Cave These include Serra Dolcedorme (2267 m), near Rotonda and the Bifurto Abyss in the Park's highest peak, Mount Pollino Cerchiara di Calabria, a deep sinkhole (2248 m), Serra del Prete (2181 m), Serra that descends vertically to a depth delle Ciavole (2127 m), and Serra di of 683 metres, truly a speleological Crispo (2053 m), which are the highest paradise. This is not to mention fossils peaks in the Pollino Massif. The Park also dating back tens of thousands of features beautiful valleys sculptured by years such as the perfectly preserved many extremely diverse watercourses skeleton of an Elephas antiquus italicus, 7 BASILICATA BASILICA Pollino National Park The highly contrasting landscapes make it one of I a huge 4-metre pachyderm that lived enthusiasts, and lush beech, fir, maple, approximately 700,000 years ago, alder, and chestnut forests which found in the Mercure Valley, once explode into a myriad of shades in submerged by a great lake but now autumn that range from the reds of the displayed in the Museum of Nature maple trees and browns and yellows and Palaeontology in Rotonda. There of the beech trees to the dark green of are also spectacular canyons lined the pine trees. Even though autumn is by steep rocky walls such as the Gole the most colourful and evocative time del Raganello (Gorges of the River of year in Pollino National Park, it is a Raganello) or the gorges of the River joy to behold in all seasons. In summer Lao, a must for canyoning and rafting with the various shades of green, in winter when everything is coated in SPELEOLOGICAL white and many of the most beautiful EDENS paths and plateaus are transformed The Parks' geological nature accounts for the into soft stretches of snow that are ideal chasms that precipitate for cross-country skiing and hiking, and into the bowels of the Earth such as the "Piezze 'i trende" of course in spring with the magnificent Cave and Bifurto Abyss. 8 ASILICATA BASILICATA asting landscapes make it one of Italy's most fascinating parks WHITE PARADISE blooms of high altitude grasslands such as the Piano of The green summer trails Ruggio at the foot of Serra del Prete. Multi-coloured carpets are transformed in winter of orchids, narcissi, asphodels, gentians, peonies, and broom into cross-country and snowshoe trekking trails. lead into the cool forests which are the perfect habitat for Apennine wolves, wild boar, roe deer, feral cats, porcupines, PASTURES WORTHY OF southern squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris meridionalis), which are THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS black with a white patch on their chest, as well as otters and Never-ending herds of spectacled salamanders found along the watercourses, cattle graze freely on along with eagle owls, black woodpeckers, and red-billed the fresh and luxuriant choughs. Higher up, where the peaks are less accessible, vegetation. 9 BASILICATA Pollino National Park BASILICA THE LORD OF THE ORSOMARSO A substantial colony of roe deer populates the wild surroundings of the Orsomarso Mountains. KINGS OF THE NIGHT the golden eagle, the Egyptian vulture, the lanner falcon, Eagle and golden the short-toed eagle, the red kite, the peregrine falcon, the eagles, Egyptian vultures, lanner falcons, buzzard, and the kestrel all make their home and whose flight short-toed eagles, red paths take them directly over one of Italy's richest and most kites, buzzards, kestrels, varied botanical universes. This is the uncontested domain and peregrine falcons flying in the clear skies of the rare Bosnian Pine (Pinus leucodermis Ant.), symbol of above the Park. the Park and a relic of the last ice age. The tree's twisted lines,are shaped by the wind, frost, and lightning, and make it a veritable arboreal monument able to defy the most CHAMPION OF LONGEVITY The Bosnian Pine is a relic of the last ice age and has twisted lines shaped by wind and lightning.