ファルネーゼの天然記念物・トップ20

Via Cava di San Roccoは、この地域で最も印象的なエトルリア時代の通路の1つです。この小道は完全に凝灰岩に掘られており、高さ20メートルに達する垂直な壁には、シダや苔の豊かな植生が生い茂っています。 このルートは、レンテ川の谷と上部の高原を結んでいます。登り道に沿って、古代の水路システムや岩に刻まれた階段があります。上端に到達すると、ソラーノの町とオルシーニ要塞の最も象徴的な景色を眺めることができるサン・ロッコ展望エリアに到着します。壁の涼しい微気候のため、地面は湿っていて滑りやすい場合があります。

Ancient fountain dug into the tuff where you can drink fresh spring water.

The exhibition grounds are definitely worth a visit and can be easily combined with a circular hike from Sovana.

You can also visit the excavations on a circular hike from Sorana. The €7.00 is definitely worth it for this very interesting site.

The Olm Fountain is an ancient and original fountain carved out of tuff stone, located in the central section of the main road connecting Pitigliano and Sovana. The characteristic of this natural spring, in addition to its remarkable size, is the head of Silenus or mask from which the water gushes, which reminds us of ancient representations. The groundwater source provides water supply all year round and is a resting and cooling point for travelers and animals. The long basins give the artifact the typical characteristics of the Tuscan fountain. Today this pleasant place is a destination for many visitors who take the opportunity to stop or even have a snack and rest before tackling the rest of the route. To avoid looting, the original Silenus Head is kept in Pitigliano in the Civic Archaeological Museum of the Etruscan Civilization.

The Città del Tufo archaeological park opened its doors in 1998 with the aim of preserving and promoting the precious historical and cultural heritage of the tuff area. The surrounding area is enriched by monumental tombs, among which the famous Ildebranda tomb stands out, an Etruscan masterpiece carved from an imposing block of tuff to imitate the appearance of a temple from the Hellenistic age. Other fascinating tombs include the Pola tomb, those of the Typhoon, of the Winged Demons and of the Siren. The magical atmosphere of the place is further enriched by the presence of suggestive hollow streets, with the Via Cava di San Sebastiano, squeezed between walls of over 20 meters, the Via Cava di Poggio Prisca and the Cavone, on whose walls you can admire engravings from different eras, including crosses with exorcistic purposes and a large swastika, a solar symbol.

The Via Cava di San Rocco goes up the opposite side of Sorano, skirting the remains of the church of San Rocco, a religious building in Romanesque style now reduced to ruins that maintain sections of the original wall structures. Behind these remains extends a vast Etruscan necropolis with tombs dug into the tuff. The Vie Cave, dug by the Etruscans about 3000 years ago in the tuff, are still shrouded in mystery regarding the technique used to sculpt the rock so precisely and vertically. This street represents the most important of the Vie Cave around Sorano, as it guided the Etruscans to their necropolis. Incredibly, for over six centuries, from the Middle Ages until 1940, it was the only road that connected the city of Sorano to Sovana. Every horse, cart and traveler had no choice but to travel this steep, damp road between its high walls.

If you want to get a glimpse of the chocolate side of Pitigliano on foot, you have to walk through the Cava di Madona to the other side of the valley. The cava itself is a special experience. When wet, the stone is sometimes quite slippery. Appropriate footwear is then recommended.