The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural park in central

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Established in 1991, it covers an area of , mostly within the provinces of

Teramo Teramo (; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo. The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines ( Gran Sasso d'Italia) and the Adriatic coast. Th ...

L'Aquila L'Aquila ( ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of the Province of L'Aquila and the Abruzzo region in Italy. , it has a population of 69,902. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valley of the A ...

, and

Pescara Pescara (; ; ) is the capital city of the province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 118,657 (January 1, 2023) residents (and approximately 350,000 including the surround ...

Abruzzo Abruzzo (, ; ; , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; ), historically also known as Abruzzi, is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy with an area of 10,763 square km (4,156 sq mi) and a population of 1.3 million. It is divided into four ...

, with small areas in the provinces of

Rieti Rieti (; , Sabino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of 47,700. It is the administrative seat of the province of Rieti and see of the diocese of Rieti, as well as the modern capital of the Sabina region. T ...

Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...

and

Ascoli Piceno Ascoli Piceno (; ; ) is a (municipality) and capital of the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Italy, Italian region of Marche. Geography The town lies at the confluence of the Tronto, River Tronto and the small Castellano (river), River Castell ...

Marche Marche ( ; ), in English sometimes referred to as the Marches ( ) from the Italian name of the region (Le Marche), is one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. The region is located in the Central Italy, central area of the country, ...

. The terrain is predominantly mountainous with alpine plains. It is managed by Ente Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, with headquarters in

Assergi Assergi is a frazione of the comune of L'Aquila, located about from the capital. With a population of just over 500, it is situated at an altitude of approximately 1,000 meters, below the western slope of the Gran Sasso d'Italia, Gran Sasso in a s ...

. The Grand Highway of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park runs through the park between the

Gran Sasso Gran Sasso d'Italia (; ) is a massif in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. Its highest peak, Corno Grande , is the highest mountain in the Apennines, and the second-highest mountain in Italy outside the Alps. The mountain lies within Gran Sasso ...

mountain peak and the chain known as

Monti della Laga Monti della Laga is a mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form ...

Geography

The park is one of the largest protected areas in Europe, and is centered around the massif of the

, which dominates the surrounding landscape; it rises vertically on the immense pastures of the

Campo Imperatore Campo Imperatore ("Emperor's Field") is a mountain grassland or alpine meadow formed by a high basin shaped plateau located above Gran Sasso massif, the largest plateau of Apennine ridge. Known as "Little Tibet", it is located in Gran Sasso ...

. The land is very rocky and receives a large amount of snow and wind. The

Calderone Calderone is an Italian-language occupational surname. It is derived from the Vulgar Latin vocabulary, Vulgar Latin "''caldaria''" ("cauldron") and refers to the occupation of tinker. The surname may refer to: *Antonino Calderone (1935–2013), S ...

lies just beneath the tallest peak, the

Corno Grande Corno Grande (Italian for "great horn") is the highest point in the Apennine Mountains, situated in Abruzzo, central Italy. Part of the Gran Sasso massif, it is the highest peak of the Italian Peninsula at . It is the highest peak in mainland It ...

, and it is considered to be Europe's southernmost

glacier A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...

. On the north side there is the profile of Monti della Laga chain, where thousands of migratory birds stop on the shores of Lake Campotosto. This area is completely covered by woods of

beeches Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted species i ...

firs Firs are evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the genus ''Abies'' () in the family Pinaceae. There are approximately 48–65 extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Eurasia, and North Africa. The genu ...

, turkey oaks and

chestnuts The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Description C ...

. There are over of dedicated horse trails that can be used to visit the park. Campotosto lake

Nature and wildlife

The park contains one of the most biologically diverse areas of Europe. The climate is between that of the Mediterranean and that of the rest of continental Europe. The park contains more than two thousand plant species, some of which are found exclusively in this area, such as the Abruzzo Edelweiss. Many species of wildlife inhabit the park, including rare animals such as the Abruzzo

chamois The chamois (; ) (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope native to the mountains in Southern Europe, from the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Dinarides, the Tatra Mountains, Tatra to the Carpa ...

, as well as

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, including the dog and dingo, though gr ...

, Marsican brown bear, roe deer, wildcats,

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...

s, foxes and

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae (), a family that includes small or medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrel ...

s. Notable birds include the

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

, the

white-backed woodpecker The white-backed woodpecker (''Dendrocopos leucotos'') is a Eurasian woodpecker belonging to the genus ''Dendrocopos''. Taxonomy The white-backed woodpecker was described by the German naturalist Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1802 under the b ...

, the

goshawk Goshawk may refer to several species of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae: Palearctic * Eurasian goshawk, ''Astur gentilis'', often referred to simply as the goshawk, since it is the only goshawk found in much of its range (in Europe and ...

, the

common buzzard The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. It is a member of the genus '' Buteo'' in the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across much of ...

and the

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

. There are also a wide variety of insects, such as the

apollo butterfly The Apollo (''Parnassius apollo''), also called the mountain Apollo , is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. Etymology The species is named in the classical tradition for the deity Apollo. Subspecies Subspecies include: * ''Parnassius apol ...

Attractions

The park contains a very long circuit of approximately featuring trails that can be visited on horseback, by mountain bike, or on foot. Many outdoor activities are possible within the park including

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

Horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding ( Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...

Canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian. A few of the recreational ...

Bird watching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...

Alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel Ski binding, bindings, unlike other types of skiing (Cross-country skiing, cross-country, Telemark skiing, Telemark, or ski jumping) ...

ski mountaineering Ski mountaineering (abbreviated to skimo) is a skiing discipline that involves climbing mountains either on skis or carrying them, depending on the steepness of the ascent, and then descending on skis. There are two major categories of equipment ...

, and

Cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

. Educational projects are active in the park visitor centres, and trails and paths can be freely explored alone or with the assistance of mountain guides.

Settlements

Many old villages are located within the confines the national park. They tend to be quite small, with stone and brick houses and narrow streets. In many cases, the place names highlight the defensive nature of the settlement and a summit position, such as Castel (castle), Rocca, Pizzo (peak), and Colle (hill). *

Province of L'Aquila The province of L'Aquila () is the largest, most mountainous and least densely populated Provinces of Italy, province of the Abruzzo region of Italy. It comprises about half the landmass of Abruzzo and occupies the western part of the region. It ...

, Barete,

Barisciano Barisciano ( Abruzzese: '; ), is a comune and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. Main sights * Castle *Monastery of San Colombo. Today it house ...

, Cagnano Amiterno,

Calascio Calascio is a ''comune'' and village in the province of L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. History The existence of the village, of Norman origin, is already testi ...

Campotosto Campotosto ( Sabino: ') is a ''comune'' and town in the province of L'Aquila, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. Olympian Mariano Antonelli was born here. Geography Campotosto is located in the northern part of the province of L'Aquila, sou ...

Capestrano Capestrano ( Abruzzese: ') is a ''comune'' and small town with 885 inhabitants (2017), in the Province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. History Antiquity In the necropolis the statue ...

, Capitignano,

Carapelle Calvisio Carapelle Calvisio is a ''comune'' and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park at above sea level. It is mostly known as be ...

, Castel del Monte,

Castel Paganica Castel Paganica is a frazione of Montereale, Abruzzo, Montereale, in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo, region of Italy. It is located inside the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. Frazioni of Montereale {{Abruzzo-geo-stub ...

Castelvecchio Calvisio Castelvecchio Calvisio is a ''comune'' and town in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. The 2010 film '' Bad Mom's Christmas'' has scenes set there. The town is ...

, Mascioni, Montereale,

Ofena Ofena ( Abruzzese: ') is a ''comune'' and town in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park". The comune/village is home to a vast and rich h ...

, Pizzoli,

Santo Stefano di Sessanio Santo Stefano di Sessanio is a ''comune'' and hill town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. Located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, in the highest region of the Apennines, this medieval hill to ...

Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi is a little comune and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. Twin town * Port Colborne Port Colborne is a city in Ontar ...

Province of Ascoli Piceno The province of Ascoli Piceno () is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Ascoli Piceno, and the province is bordered by the Adriatic Sea to the east, the province of Fermo to the north, and it faces the regions ...

Acquasanta Terme Acquasanta Terme () is a ''comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also ...

Arquata del Tronto Arquata del Tronto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Italian region of Marche, located about from Ancona. It is the only European ''comune'' located partly within two natural parks: Gran Sasso national park ...

Province of Pescara The province of Pescara (; Abruzzese: ') is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pescara, which has a population of 119,483 inhabitants. As of 2017, it has a total population of 319,936 inhabitants over an area o ...

Brittoli Brittoli is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural park in central Italy. ...

Bussi sul Tirino Bussi sul Tirino ( Abruzzese: ') is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural ...

Carpineto della Nora Carpineto della Nora is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Pescara, Abruzzo region, Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural park in central Ital ...

Castiglione a Casauria Castiglione a Casauria is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park". Main sights *The Abbey of San Clemente a Casau ...

, Civitella Casanova, Corvara, Farindola, Montebello di Bertona,

Pescosansonesco Pescosansonesco ( Abruzzese: '; Pescolano: ') is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is above sea level in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park". Famous for its ...

, Villa Celiera *

Province of Rieti The province of Rieti () is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Rieti. Established in 1927, it has an area of with a total population of 157,887 people as of 2017. There are 73 ''comuni'' (: '' ...

Accumoli Accumoli is a (municipality) in the Province of Rieti in the Italian region of Lazio, located about northeast of Rome and about northeast of Rieti. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park". L ...

Amatrice Amatrice (; Sabino: ) is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Rieti, in the Italian region of Lazio, and the center of the food-agricultural area of Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. The town was devastated by a p ...

Province of Teramo The province of Teramo (; Neapolitan language, Abruzzese: ') is a provinces of Italy, province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Teramo. The province has an area of , a population of 313,029 (2012), and is subdivided into ...

Arsita,

Campli Campli (Neapolitan language, Abruzzese: ') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. It is one of I Borgh ...

Castelli Castelli may refer to: Places Argentina * Castelli, Buenos Aires, city in Buenos Aires Province * Castelli Partido, partido in Buenos Aires Province * Juan José Castelli, Chaco, in Chaco Province * Villa Castelli, Argentina, in La Rioja Pr ...

Civitella del Tronto Civitella del Tronto () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Teramo, within the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful village ...

Cortino Cortino ( Abruzzese: ') is a small town and ''comune'' in the central Italian region of Abruzzo in the Province of Teramo. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. The major part of the population lives in small hamlets do ...

Crognaleto Crognaleto is a ''comune'' and city of slightly less than 2,000 people in the Province of Teramo, central Italy. Crognaleto sits at an elevation of and has its communal administrative offices in the ''frazione'' (outlying area) of Nerito. The c ...

Fano Adriano Fano Adriano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Teramo, part of the Abruzzo region of southeastern Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga Na ...

Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia is a town and ''comune'' in province of Teramo in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural ...

Montorio al Vomano Montorio al Vomano ( Abruzzese: ') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central-southern Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. Geography The cit ...

, Pietracamela,

Rocca Santa Maria Rocca Santa Maria is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Teramo, Abruzzo, eastern Italy. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. The municipal seat is in the ''frazione A ''frazione'' (: ''frazioni'') is a type of ...

Torricella Sicura Torricella Sicura is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park". Geography The town is located about fro ...

Tossicia Tossicia ( Abruzzese: ') is a town and ''comune'' in province of Teramo in the Abruzzo region of eastern Italy. It is located in the natural park known as the "Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga Nation ...

Valle Castellana Valle Castellana (Marchigiano dialect, Ascolano: ') is a village and ''comune'' in the Province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is a member of the Italian community of surrounding mountain villages, Monti della Laga. It is lo ...

References

External links

* *�
Official Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park website
*�
The National Park of the Gran Sasso
*�
Parks.it: Park Authority in Abruzzo

UNESCO photographer's gallery of Campo-Imperatore
{{Authority control National parks of Italy Parks in Abruzzo Parks in Lazio Parks in Marche Province of L'Aquila Province of Pescara Province of Teramo Protected areas of the Apennines Protected areas established in 2001 2001 establishments in Italy