발렌타노‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪19‬개의 천연기념물

Via Cava di San Rocco는 이 지역에서 가장 인상적인 에트루리아 경로 중 하나입니다. 이 길은 완전히 응회암에 새겨져 있으며, 수직 벽은 최대 20미터 높이에 달하고 양치류와 이끼로 무성한 식물로 덮여 있습니다. 이 경로는 Lente 강 계곡을 위쪽 고원과 연결합니다. 등반을 따라 고대 물 수집 시스템과 바위에 새겨진 계단을 만날 수 있습니다. 위쪽 끝에 도달하면 Sorano 마을과 Orsini 요새의 가장 상징적인 전망을 즐길 수 있는 San Rocco 전망 구역에 도착합니다. 벽의 서늘한 미기후로 인해 바닥이 습하고 미끄러울 수 있습니다.

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

Through a very narrow, high gorge (can be damp in spring), you finally reach this oratory via steps.

The rupestrian (cave) oratory is located at the top of the San Sebastiano via cava and consists of two irregular rooms, the walls of the chambers were engraved with many Latin crosses, including one on a small mountain that probably represents Golgotha. The oratory was almost certainly realized by using one of the many existing archaic tombs in the upper part of the via Cava, many of which are still visible. In fact, it was common for the monks and Christian hermits of the Middle Ages to take advantage of the remote location of these environments to reach the small places of worship suitable for prayer and meditation. From the various openings in the oratory you can see the wall of the via Cava and the remains of some Etruscan tombs looted in ancient times.

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 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.

A little steep but very spectacular