Riserva Naturale di Monte Salviano
The Riserva Naturale di Monte Salviano is a protected nature area near Avezzano in Abruzzo, Italy. It covers about 722 hectares (1,780 acres) and was officially established in 1999, growing from the Salviano Peri-Urban Park created in 1993. Since 2007 it has been managed by the association Ambiente e/è Vita Abruzzo together with the municipality of Avezzano, and in 2010 an outer protection strip of about 800 hectares was added to safeguard the landscape, history and culture of the whole area.
The reserve includes important historical and natural features. Along the route to the Sanctuary of Madonna di Pietraquaria, you’ll find pine woods, a memorial to the 1915 earthquake and to World War I victims, and the Crocione—a large wooden cross placed in 1902 and restored in 2006. The eastern side houses the Tunnels of Claudius, an ancient drainage system that extended from the Fucine basin toward the Liri Valley. Nearby are the Cave of Ciccio Felice and the Palentine Caves, which were used by shepherds and, during World War II, by partisans and escaped prisoners. A short distance from the sanctuary is also the cultural center Casa del Pellegrino (Pilgrim’s House) and the Theatre of Germination sculpture by Pietro Cascella, installed in 2000.
The area is crossed by the Marsi Road, a scenic trail that is part of the European long-distance path E1. This route connects Monte Salviano with the Lucus Angitiae wood and the Abruzzo National Park. The reserve also hosts the sanctuary at about 1,000 meters above sea level, a memorial to the 1915 earthquake survivors who died in the war, and a wildlife rescue shelter on the slopes of Monte Cimarani behind the sanctuary.
Flora and fauna are rich and varied. The landscape features black pines, chestnut and oak trees, and a wide array of plant life such as Jerusalem sage (salvione) that gives the area its characteristic scent and name. Animals include the resident squirrel (the reserve’s symbol), badger, fox, polecat, weasel, hare, griffon vultures and many songbirds. A 1993 wildfire caused heavy damage, but the ecosystem has slowly recovered through reforestation with native species and natural regeneration.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:10 (CET).