Pollino
Encyclopedia
The Pollino is a massif
in the southern Apennines, on the border between Calabria
and Basilicata
, southern Italy
. Since 1992 it is part of the Pollino National Park
.
The highest area in the range, the Pollino is made of limestone
, and therefore subject to erosion
phenomena which have created, especially on the Calabrian side, numerous grotto
es, such as the Romito ones, in which graffiti from Palaeolithic times have been found, and canyons, such as that created by the Raganello stream.
The main peaks are Monte Pollino 2248 m (7,375 ft) and the massif's high point, Serra Dolcedorme 2267 m (7,438 ft), which overlooks the plain of Sibari.
The Pollino is home to a flourishing fauna and vegetation. Especially in the highest quotes are present woods of chestnut
, beech
and the rare Bosnian Pine
, which is the park's symbol; animal species include Italian Wolf, Eagle Owl
, Roe Deer
and the rare Golden Eagle
.
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
in the southern Apennines, on the border between Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
and Basilicata
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
, southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Since 1992 it is part of the Pollino National Park
Pollino National Park
The Pollino National Park is a national park in Basilicata and Calabria, southern Italy. Comprised within the provinces of Cosenza, Matera and Potenza, with its 1,820 square kilometres it is the largest natural park in the country...
.
The highest area in the range, the Pollino is made of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, and therefore subject to erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
phenomena which have created, especially on the Calabrian side, numerous grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
es, such as the Romito ones, in which graffiti from Palaeolithic times have been found, and canyons, such as that created by the Raganello stream.
The main peaks are Monte Pollino 2248 m (7,375 ft) and the massif's high point, Serra Dolcedorme 2267 m (7,438 ft), which overlooks the plain of Sibari.
The Pollino is home to a flourishing fauna and vegetation. Especially in the highest quotes are present woods of chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
, beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and the rare Bosnian Pine
Bosnian Pine
The Bosnian Pine is a species of pine native to Bosnia but is also found in the mountains of southeastern Europe, in southwestern Bulgaria, Bosnia, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, northern Greece , and locally in southern Italy ,...
, which is the park's symbol; animal species include Italian Wolf, Eagle Owl
Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Eurasia. It is also one of the largest types of owls.-Description:The Eagle Owl is a large and powerful bird, smaller than the Golden Eagle but larger than the Snowy Owl...
, Roe Deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
and the rare Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
.
See also
- Calabrian wineCalabrian wineCalabrian wine is Italian wine from the Calabria region of southern Italy. Over 90% of the region's wine production is red wine, with a large portion made from the Gaglioppo grape. Calabria has 12 Denominazione di origine controllata regions but only 4% of the yearly production is classified as...
- Viaggiare nel pollino Information, accommodation, walking, guide
- Pollino Project Sinkholes and climate analysis