Mount Cucco (1,566 m a.s.l.) is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

located in

Umbria Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...

, along the Umbrian-Marche Apennines, in the area of

Gubbio Gubbio () is an Italian town and ''comune'' in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia (Umbria). It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennine Mountains, Apennines. History Prehistory The ol ...

, included in the territory of the municipalities of

Costacciaro Costacciaro is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 40 km northeast of Perugia. It is a medieval burgh, which, after the rule of Perugia and Gubbio, became part of the Papal States ...

Scheggia e Pascelupo Scheggia e Pascelupo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 40 km northeast of Perugia. The municipal seat is located in the main village of Scheggia, just below Scheggia Pass on ...

Fossato di Vico Fossato di Vico is a town and ''comune'' of Umbria in the province of Perugia in Italy, at 581 m above sea‑level on the middle slopes of Mount Mutali. It lies just off the SS 3 highway, the successor to the ancient Roman Via Flaminia, ...

and Sigillo. Since 1995 it has become a protected area under the name of Monte Cucco Park.

Description

Origin of the toponym

The place name may derive from "Kukka", an Italic geonym meaning a rounded elevation or crowned mountain used as a place of worship. It is indeed to be included in the vicinity of Mount Cucco the

temple of Jupiter Apenninus The Temple of Jupiter Apenninus or Temple of Jupiter Poeninus was an Umbrian-Roman temple that lay at the foot of Monte Catria, near the modern village of Scheggia, between today's Umbria and Marche regions, in Italy. The temple stood near the ...

, as described by

Claudius Claudianus Claudius Claudianus, known in English as Claudian ( Greek: Κλαυδιανός; ), was a Latin poet associated with the court of the Roman emperor Honorius at Mediolanum (Milan), and particularly with the general Stilicho. His work, written a ...

. Obviously, this is not to be taken as the only possible toponymic origin; the name Cucco could also simply indicate the fact that the mountain is hollow inside, because of the large Cave of Mount Cucco, or simply because it is a mountain with a "domed" top.

The caves

The massif of Monte Cucco, composed almost entirely of massive

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

, was affected in the past by major

karst Karst () is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone and Dolomite (rock), dolomite. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. Ther ...

phenomena both by infiltration of surface water and especially by rising sulfurous waters that created hundreds of caves and cavities. The largest and most famous is the Grotta di Monte Cucco, which at about 35 km in length and -922 meters deep, is one of the largest caves in Italy. The presence of this cave has been known for centuries, as the eastern entrance is clearly visible from the valley below.

The caverns

Another peculiarity of Monte Cucco, also due to the phenomenon of karstification, consists in the very numerous presence of caverns, even large ones, among which the best known and most spectacular are Grotta di Santa Agnese, Grotta di San Donino and Grotta Bianca. SalaMargherita

Hermitages and abbeys

* Abbey of St. Mary of Sitria, founded by St. Romuald in the 11th century in the Sitria Valley at the foot of Mount Nocria. The abbey is divided into small cells of stone and wood and is built entirely of squared stone in a balanced composition of Romanesque and

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...

motifs, with a single

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

and a

crypt A crypt (from Greek κρύπτη (kryptē) ''wikt:crypta#Latin, crypta'' "Burial vault (tomb), vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, Sarcophagus, sarcophagi, or Relic, religiou ...

below the high

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

, in pure Romanesque style, supported by a column with a late antique capital. * Hermitage of San Girolamo (Pascelupo): built around the year 1000 at the base of a rock face more than a hundred meters high.

Environment

Flora

The very rainy climate of the Umbrian-Marche Apennines, due to the relative proximity of the

sea A sea is a large body of salt water. There are particular seas and the sea. The sea commonly refers to the ocean, the interconnected body of seawaters that spans most of Earth. Particular seas are either marginal seas, second-order section ...

, has fostered a very lush and varied flora; in fact, all of Monte Cucco is a protected floristic area. Being located in a central position in Italy, there are so many varieties of

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

s and

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...

s in Monte Cucco from all over the Apennine belt, including extremely rare ones such as the

lady's slipper Cypripedioideae is a subfamily of orchids commonly known as lady's slipper orchids, lady slipper orchids or slipper orchids. Cypripedioideae includes the genera ''Cypripedium, Mexipedium, Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium'' and '' Selenipedium''. T ...

. The southwest side of the mountain is dominated by extensive meadows, largely the result of ancient deforestation to create pastures. The Northeast slope, facing the sea, sees the presence of very large forests. Above 1000m altitude the dominant plant is the

beech 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 Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...

; beech forests cover most of the Northeast slope in which there is also the largest forest in the entire mountain, called "Mother of Beeches," where specimens are found that exceed 30m in height abundantly. Below 1000m altitude, the vegetation becomes more intricate and varied, consisting mainly of:

hornbeam Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the family Betulaceae. Its species occur across much of the temperateness, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names The common English name ''hornbeam'' derives ...

ash Ash is the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash is the ...

maple ''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...

(in its various types),

dogwood ''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods or cornels, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous ...

, wild cherry,

hazel Hazels are plants of the genus ''Corylus'' of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family, Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K ...

, strawberry tree,

butcher's broom ''Ruscus aculeatus'', known as butcher's-broom, is a low evergreen dioecious Eurasian shrub, with flat shoots known as cladodes that give the appearance of stiff, spine-tipped leaves. Small greenish flowers appear in spring, and are borne sing ...

laurel Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel People * Laurel (given name), people with the given name * Laurel (surname), people with the surname * Laurel (mus ...

boxwood ''Buxus'' is a genus of about seventy species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box and boxwood. The boxes are native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost So ...

, holm oak,

downy oak ''Quercus pubescens'' (synonyms ''virgiliana''), commonly known as the downy oak, pubescent oak or Italian oak, is a species of white oak (genus ''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus'') native to southern Europe and southwest Asia. It is found from northe ...

and

turkey oak Turkey oak is a common name for several species of oaks and may refer to: *''Quercus cerris'', native to southeastern Europe and Asia Minor *''Quercus laevis ''Quercus laevis'', the turkey oak, is a member of the red oak group of oaks. It is na ...

. The base of the mountain is heavily anthropized, where it is still possible to see cultivated fields bordered by rows of

poplars ''Populus'' is a genus of 25–30 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar (), aspen, and cottonwood. The we ...

willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...

s, and

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

s, an unmistakable sign of the poor agriculture of the past.

Fauna

The wildlife that populates the beech forests of Monte Cucco is numerous and diverse.

Mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

s include, for example,

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 ...

fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

es,

badger Badgers are medium-sized short-legged omnivores in the superfamily Musteloidea. Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united by their squat bodies and adaptions for fossorial activity rather than by the ...

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, fallow deers, roe deers,

wild cats The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

marten A marten is a weasel-like mammal in the genus ''Martes'' within the subfamily Guloninae, in the family Mustelidae. They have bushy tails and large paws with partially retractile claws. The fur varies from yellowish to dark brown, depending on ...

skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or gi ...

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets, and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slend ...

dormouse A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae (this family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists). Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibe ...

s and

Calabrian black squirrel The Calabrian black squirrel (''Sciurus meridionalis'') is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus'', endemic to the forests of the regions of Calabria and Basilicata, in the south of the Italian Peninsula. Taxonomy It has long been c ...

s. Among birds, the

eagle owl The American (North and South America) horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls make up the genus ''Bubo'', at least as traditionally described. The genus name ''Bubo'' is Latin for owl. This genus contains 10 species that are found in many pa ...

, the

barred owl The barred owl (''Strix varia''), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl or eight-hooter owl, is a North American large species of owl. A member of the true owl family, Strigidae, they belong to the genus ...

, the

tawny owl The tawny owl (''Strix aluco''), also called the brown owl, is a stocky, medium-sized owl in the family Strigidae. It is commonly found in woodlands across Europe, as well as western Siberia, and has seven recognized subspecies. The tawny owl' ...

, the

barn owl The barn owls, owls in the genus '' Tyto'', are the most widely distributed genus of owls in the world. They are medium-sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. The ter ...

, 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

sparrow hawk Sparrowhawk (sometimes sparrow hawk) may refer to several species of small hawk in the subfamily Accipitrinae. "Sparrow-hawk" or sparhawk originally referred to ''Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus'', now called "Eurasian" or "northern" sparro ...

, the

hoopoe Hoopoes () are colourful birds found across Africa, Asia, and Europe, notable for their distinctive "Crest (feathers), crown" of feathers which can be raised or lowered at will. Two living and one extinct species are recognized, though for many y ...

and the

black woodpecker The black woodpecker (''Dryocopus martius'') is a large woodpecker that lives in mature forests across the northern Palearctic. It is the sole representative of its genus in that region. Its range is expanding. The black woodpecker is easily the ...

stand out in particular. Among

amphibian Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniote, anamniotic, tetrapod, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class (biology), class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all Tetrapod, tetrapods, but excl ...

s, the

spectacled salamander The spectacled salamander (''Salamandrina terdigitata'') is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae. This species is found only in the southern Apennine Range in Italy in humid valleys and shady, overgrown hillsides at altitudes b ...

, the European cave salamander and the

fire salamander The fire salamander (''Salamandra salamandra'') is a common species of salamander found in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree; some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant ...

stand out. Finally, the entomological fauna is rich, especially that relating to

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

s, which are present also with species rare or exclusive to the area, such as ''Pterostichus battonii'' and ''Lathrobium montiscuccoi'', which borrows its specific name precisely from that of Monte Cucco. Ascertained and documented in the summer of 2013, in the locality "Balze de La Pìgnola," the significant presence of two specimens of the very rare beetle ''Rosalia alpina'', which lives at the expense of the wood of centuries-old, mature and rotting beech trees.

Geology

Mount Cucco, like much of the Apennines is composed of

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock (geology), rock formed by the cementation (geology), cementation of sediments—i.e. particles made of minerals (geological detritus) or organic matter (biological detritus)—that have been accumulated or de ...

s of marine origin dating back to the

Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately 143.1 Mya. ...

. The main mountain is composed of

rock called "Monte Cucco Massive Limestone," which began to form about 210 million years ago in a shallow, life-rich sea, the

Tethys Sea The Tethys Ocean ( ; ), also called the Tethys Sea or the Neo-Tethys, was a prehistoric ocean during much of the Mesozoic Era and early-mid Cenozoic Era. It was the predecessor to the modern Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Eurasia ...

. Over the next few million years, the accumulation of sediments (most of which consisted of the remains of marine organisms) created a conspicuous succession of

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...

-rich sedimentary rocks, among them Upper Jurassic

ammonites Ammonoids are extinct, (typically) coiled-shelled cephalopods comprising the subclass Ammonoidea. They are more closely related to living octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish (which comprise the clade Coleoidea) than they are to nautiluses (family N ...

. The mountain ranges of the Central Apennines were formed starting about 15 million years ago by the collision of two great continental plates: the African and the

Eurasian Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents dates back to antiq ...

, which caused this huge rock mass to emerge from the sea, creating Monte Cucco, the Apennines and all of central Italy. Most of the fossils found are preserved and displayed at the

Museum.

University of the Native Men

Since 1291, the entire central part of the Monte Cucco massif has constituted a huge collective property, managed by the University of the Native Men of Costacciaro. This is a communal and indivisible property that has been handed down, for more than seven centuries, to the direct descendants of those families who, beginning in 1291, purchased the mountain from the feudal lords of the area. This property, which still exists today, has safeguarded a large part of the mountain, especially during the years of cementing and squatting (1950s-60s), preserving the entire mountain, particularly the area of Pian delle Macinare, in an integral way.

Sports and activities

Free flight

Because of its location and morphology, Monte Cucco is considered one of the most important Italian hang gliding and paragliding destinations. National and international hang gliding championships are held there, and a number of records have been broken due to the weather conditions.

Caving

The Monte Cucco Cave, with its extension of about 35 km and almost 1 km depth, is one of the largest caves in Italy. The cave is continuously frequented by cavers who go exploring in the deep parts, or who conduct specific courses inside it. Part of the cave has recently been made tourist-friendly and is accessible when accompanied by licensed guides.

Mountain bike

Many trails on Monte Cucco lend themselves to mountain biking. The Gran Fondo Monte Cucco is very famous and renowned.{{Cite web , title=Gran Fondo del Monte Cucco in Mtb , url=http://www.granfondomontecucco.it/ , access-date=May 17, 2018 , website=Gran fondo Monte Cucco

References

One-thousanders of Italy Province of Perugia Apennine Mountains

Description

Origin of the toponym

The caves

The caverns

Hermitages and abbeys

Environment

Flora

Fauna

Geology

University of the Native Men

Sports and activities

Free flight

Caving

Mountain bike

See also

References