Sibylline Mountains National Park
A magical place, among history, nature and legends
Precisely in the Sibylline Mountains according to the legend there was Sibyl’s cave. A territory where you can travel beyond time and space immersed in the enchanting natural beauty of the park and of the fauna that populates it.
History and legends
Sibyl’s cave
The majestic Sibylline Mountains owe their name to a charming legend that tells of the existence of a unique Sibyl, known as the Sibyl of the Apennines. This figure is described as a prophetess who, over time, was transformed into a magician, a fairy or even a diabolic witch. According to the tale handed down by the pastors and peasants, the Sibyl has her home on the mountain that bears her name. Her den (Sibyl’s Cave) is easily reachable with an hour's walk and in the museum of Montemonaco we can still find the sign found in remote times above the entrance to the cave.
This fascinating legend was handed down through generations, and it is said that it is the origin of a popular dance distinctive of the Marches: the Saltarello.
It was precisely the fairies who in the night came down into the town who taught the peasant farmers this characteristic and magical popular dance.
Pilate’s lake
The lake takes its name from a popular legend, which tells that the body of Pontius Pilate was dragged on an ox cart from Rome up to this lake. According to a deeply-rooted popular belief, it is said that Pontius Pilate’s soul has the power to unleash terrible storms.
Starting from the 13th century, a place associated with this belief was considered a place of practice for witches and necromancers. This dark reputation led the religious authorities of the time to prohibit access to this place and to have a fork put up at the foot of the valley, as a warning against entry.
The lake however has a very important interest of a geological nature because it is the only natural lake of the Marches, formed owing to the dam created by the remains of an ice-age moraine. The last modelling of the glacial valley was in the Upper Pleistocene (from 125,000 to 10,000 years ago).
The branchiopod Chirocephalus Marchesonii is still present in the lake. A small coral red crustacean, endemic in Pilate’s Lake: in the whole world it lives only in these waters.
Faunistic environment
Uncontaminated nature
The fauna of the Sibylline Mountains is incredibly diversified and fascinating. Among the mammals we can mention the wolf, the wild cat, which is known for its elusive nature, the porcupine, which began to spread only recently occupying the warmer zones, the boar and the roe deer.
Thanks to specific reintroduction projects, the stag and the Apennine chamois have been brought back to the Park successfully. Among birds, the golden eagle stands out; after the establishment of the park it began to nest also in areas from which it had disappeared years earlier.
There are also goshawks and sparrow hawks, typical inhabitants of the woodland environment, and peregrine falcons. Among strigiformes, we can find the eagle owl, while among galliformes there is the southern rock partridge. Other birds present include the Alpine chough, the red-billed chough, the dotterel, the redstart, the cordonbleu, the brambling and the woodpecker.
Among reptiles, it is worth noting the presence of the Ursini’s viper, which in the Sibylline Mountains reaches its northern limit of diffusion in Italy. As regards invertebrates, we can mention Chirocephalus Marchesonii, endemic in Pilate’s lake, the rare Rosalia Alpina and the yellow-bellied toad among amphibians.
EXCURSIONS
Between Nature and Adventure
Pastoralism, which has always been practised in the Sibyllines, has ensured that, over the centuries, a close-knit network of paths has been created; these go from the villages up to the highest altitudes, where the primary meadows opened out, the summer pasture of the transhumant flocks.
Using the old tracks very many itineraries can thus be constructed. Each itinerary includes technical information, a detailed description and indications regarding the starting and finishing points and the corresponding numbering.
The times are calculated so as to enable stops to admire the breathtaking views and to discover the hidden treasures of the Sibylline Mountains. We must stress the importance of having a good excursionist practice, especially for those who set off without an expert guide, considering that not all the paths are completely marked at the moment.
You can find the numerous itineraries directly on the website of the park:
