카사노 델레 머지‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪6‬개의 천연기념물

Whoever comes to the forest cannot miss it

“Leave a stone for those who pass by”

Centuries-old oak in the Mercadante Forest, testimony to the strength and beauty of nature. The paths to reach it are easily accessible and suitable for people of all levels.

The Mercadante Forest is a protected wooded area that extends for 1,300 hectares between the municipalities of Cassano delle Murge and Altamura. It was born in 1928 from a reforestation project after a flood, and hosts different species of trees, such as oaks, cedars and cypresses. It is the ideal place to cool off among the trees on hot summer days and take a break in one of the areas equipped with picnic tables.

The Grotta del Colombo, like many other caves in the surrounding area, was born thanks to the karst phenomena that affect the area. In ancient times they were a place of refuge for prehistoric men.

The Pulo di Altamura is a sinkhole of karst origin of the bowl type, created by the channeling of rainwater right at this point. This created a more or less circular depression with a diameter of about 500 m. with a maximum depth of 75 meters. Along the walls, which are very steep in some points, caves and ravines have been created which indicate the different levels of excavation by the waters. These caves represent a real archaeological heritage because they were inhabited since the earliest ages of prehistory. The route includes an unpaved stretch of about 1 km that can also be easily covered by racing bike.

One of the most beautiful naturalistic places in Puglia. The view is breathtaking from every perspective; it can be easily reached by MTB. It is preferable to explore it on foot due to the cavities dug in the ground and the considerable presence of stones that make the MTB experience quite impervious.

Forest dedicated to Saverio Mercadante “Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (baptised 17 September 1795 – 17 December 1870) was an Italian composer, particularly of operas. While Mercadante may not have retained the international celebrity of Gaetano Donizetti or Gioachino Rossini beyond his own lifetime, he composed as prolific a number of works as either; and his development of operatic structures, melodic styles and orchestration contributed significantly to the foundations upon which Giuseppe Verdi built his dramatic technique.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saverio_Mercadante?wprov=sfti1