The Macchia di Gattaceca e Macchia del Barco Nature Reserve extends approximately 1,000 hectares across the municipalities of Mentana, Monterotondo and Sant'Angelo Romano between the Tiber Valley and the Monti Cornicolani. The territory is prevalently hilly with vast areas used for grazing and agriculture and is distinguished by various examples of Karst phenomena.
In Sant’Angelo Romano, the reserve includes the Forest of Grotta Cerqueta, approximately 30-35 hectares, on a limestone hill with 3 sinkholes and the Karst cave that gives the wood its name, and the Pozzo del Merro, one of the deepest sinkholes in the world (approx. 80m plus 392m of further exploration) with walls covered in thick vegetation and a lake on the bottom.
In the area of Monterotondo, it includes the archaeological site of via Nomentum–Eretum, the route linking Nomentum to the Sabine Eretum, which preserves a stretch of Roman road paved with limestone slabs, the ruins of a Roman villa and a burial area dating to the first Imperial age. The ruins of the Castle of Grotta Marozza, part of the 13th century defensive wall and the tower, date to the Middle Ages. In addition, the woods of the reserve also feature the remains of lime and coal production sites – “calcare” and “carbonare” – a document of human activity of the past, active until 50-60 years ago.
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