Monterano Regional Natural Reserve

Halfway between Sabatini and Tolfa Mountains there is the Canale Monterano Natural Reserve: a wide area occupied by extensive forests and pastures where Maremma horses and cows live in the wild. The landscape is characterized by frequent altitude differences, due to tuff formation eroded over time by the weather and by the passage of Mignone river.

Vegetation is made by beech trees and Turkey Oak (quercus cerris), poplars, willows and hazels, together with arbutus bushes. Concerning the wildlife, the wood is inhabited by hares, boars, foxes, hedgehog and wild cats. Into Mignone waters, there are moorhens and wild ducks. Besides this wonderful natural landscape emerge traces of history, as the ruins of Monterano town, suddenly abandoned in 1656 due to plague and destroyed by French people in 1799. The vision offered is very picturesque. In fact, in the vicinity of the ruins there is an Etruscan necropolis that proves the supremacy of the ancient population in this territory from the VIII to the III B.C. Moreover, the fact that Etruscan and Romans knew the entire area is proved by findings nearby Stigliano Thermal Baths: the use of thermal virtues of hot springs and mud baths was well known and used by Romans. That is why, in order to take advantage of beneficial effects of these sources, were built thermal buildings. Nearby the modern Thermal Baths, still survive some ruins, near a Temple dedicated to Apollo.

Information
Piazza del Campo, 1 – 00060 Canale Monterano
Phone 06/9962724
Fax 06/9964566
monterano@parchilazio.it
www.parchilazio.it