Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Italy. Show all posts

Monday 19 January 2015

Marmore Falls, Tallest Man-Made Waterfall in Italy



The gorgeous marmore’s falls (Cascata delle Marmore) is actually a tallest man-made waterfall in Italy. It is created by the ancient romans, can be found 7.7 kilometers from Terni, a provincial capital of the Italian region of Umbria. The fall total height is 541 feet making it one of the tallest in Italy and in Europe as well. Of its three sections, the top section is 272 feet. The waterfall source is a portion of the waters of the river Velino however, the rest of the river flows into a hydroelectric power plant, after flowing through Piediluco Lake near the community of Marmore.

It pours into the valley below formed by the river Nera. Its flow is turned on and off according to a published schedule, to satisfy the requirements of sightseers and the power company equally. Travelers try to be there the moment the gates are opened to see the powerful rush of water. Moreover, most of the time, the water in the canals above the falls is sidetracked to a hydroelectric power plant; hence the flow in the falls themselves is reduced to the level of a creek. Piediluco Lake, above the falls, is used as a reservoir for the power plant.

The Galleto power plant, well built in 1929, is architecturally interesting. Its maximum capacity is around 530 MW. Therefore to control the operation of the power plant, and to satisfy visitors, the fall is turned on according to a set schedule, attaining a remarkable effect at full flow. Moreover there’s an alarm is sounded first, then the gates are opened, and in a few minutes the small creek is transformed into a full-sized river rushing into the void below.

Usually, the waterfall is turned on between 12:00 and 1:00 PM and again between 4:00 and 5:00 PM every day, with extra times on holidays. Make sure, an entrance fee is charged to visit the falls and the surrounding area. A beautiful path along the falls let visitors to hike up to the top of falls. Along the way, a tunnel leads to an observatory just next to the falls, where a tourist is guaranteed to get soaked. A safer observatory near the top affords a grandiose view of the falls and of the Nera valley below.

In ancient times, Velino river flows through the surround of highland of city of Rieti. It fed a wetland that was thought to bring illness, perhaps from Malaria. To risk free the city of Reiti in 271 BC, there’s a plan to construct a canal to divert the stagnant waters into the natural cliff at Marmore. This option generated a different problem to City of Terni, when flood water of Velino River flowed and threatening its inhabitants. However with the passage of time, the poor maintenance in the canal resulted in a decrease in the flow, until eventually the wetland started to reappear.

In 1422, a new canal was planned to construct to restore the original flow. However, the presence of canal creating lot of problems over next two centuries, and then in 1787, it modify to leaps below the falls, and giving the falls its present look and finally resolving the major of the issues. Moreover please be noted, that large and free car parks available both at Upper and Lower Belvedere. It is very imperative, you should check the opening hours of water released before arranging the visit. A lot of children facilities available there, along with suitable family activities i.e. cave visit, night visits, botanical visits, and much more.

If you’re requiring more adventure, then there’re rafting, canoeing and canyoning opportunities, soft Rafting, open to all, including children and non-swimmers; Hydrospeed-soft, surrounded by nature, in full contact with the river and helped by a “bob water” you can go down the soft stretch of the Black River in thorough safety, at all times accompanied by a guide; Tubing-soft, another fun way to get down the stretch soft, slightly above the water level and self-reliantly supported by a guide that explains the trajectories. Charismatic Planet

Friday 26 December 2014

Gorgeous Three Peaks of Lavaredo Italy

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo also called “the three peaks of Lavaredo", Drei Zinnen, & "three merlons", are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. They are perhaps one of the best unique mountain groups in the Alps. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo is the symbol of the Italian Dolomites alone with no other peaks in the immediate vicinity, which accentuates its height and beauty.

The unique peaks are composed of well-layered dolostones of the Dolomia Principale formation, Carnian to Rhaetian in age, as are many other groups in the Dolomites. The Cima Grande “Big Peak” has an elevation of 2,999 metres and it stands between the Cima Piccola “Little Peak”, at 2,857 metres, and the Cima Ovest, “Western Peak” at 2,973 metres. Well, until 1919 the peaks formed part of the border between Italy and Austria and now now they lie on the border between the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno and still are a part of the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. Since the front line between Italy and Austria during World War I ran through these mountains, there are a number of fortifications, man-made caves, and commemorative plaques in the area.

Paul Grohman along with guides Franz Innerkofler and Peter Salcher was the first person, who first accent of the Cima Grande on Aug 21, 1869 The routes of these three first ascents are still the normal ascent routes; however the Cima Piccola's route is the most tough of the three. Several routes lead from the surrounding communities to and around the peaks. Therefore; the most common route is from Paternkofel/Monte Paterno to the alpine hut Auronzo at 2,333 m, over Paternsattel to the alpine hut Dreizinnenhütte/Locatelli at 2,405 m, and then to the peaks. There’re a number of other routes as well. The hiking trails wind through several lakes surrounded by wild rhododendron, and a malga, and an alpine dairy farm, which may be serving cool glasses of fresh milk. So, along the way you will observe wildflowers, particularly the yellow alpine poppies growing unbelievably in the rugged rocky terrain. Source: Charismatic Planet

Tuesday 2 December 2014

The Lovely Hilltop Town of Civita di Bagnoregio



The lovely Civita di Bagnoregio is a small Italian hill town in the province of Viterbo, in central Italy. The town is located atop a highpoint rising high above a vast canyon that is unceasingly being eroded by two streams flowing in the valleys below and by the action of rain and wind. This beautiful 2,500-years-old town is under constant threat of devastation as its edges are falling off, leaving the buildings built on the plateau to crumble.

Civita di Bagnoregio is actually two towns. Civita is on a hill reachable only by a long stone walkway that begins at the end of the road from neighboring town Bagnoregio. Once, Civita was the larger community and Bagnoregio the satellite town. Nowadays, Civita has only around 6 year-round residents determined to keep this little fragment of rock alive.

Civita di Bagnoregio was bringing into being by the Etruscans about 2,500 years ago. At that time, it was a vital city for its position along an ancient road interlinked to a dense network of trade routes. Civita’s decay started in the 16th century triggered by a dreadful earthquake which, affecting serious damages to the roads and buildings compelled plentiful inhabitants to leave the city. The constant seismic activities that followed in the course of the centuries brought a continue series of landslides. By the end of the 17th century, the bishop and the municipal government were enforced to move to Bagnoregio, and by the 19th century, Civita was turning into a lovely an island. Bagnoregio continues as a small but flourishing town, while Civita became recognized in Italian as il paese che muore ("the town that is dying"). It’s only recently that Civita began experiencing a tourist revival.

Civita is an attractive medieval town with architecture spanning several hundred years. The town’s isolation has allowed it to withstand most disturbances of modernity as well as the destruction brought by two world wars. Notwithstanding its nickname, during the tourist season, Civita bustles with day trippers.

Sunday 21 September 2014

Carezza lake or Karersee Lake Italy



The Karersee is located in South Tyrol Italy and is considered one of the most beautiful of the many Alpine lakes. The lake lies in the western Dolomites, about 25 kilometers from Bolzano at an altitude of 1,520 metres in the municipality of Nova Levante. It is not particularly large: approximately 300 m long and 130 m wide. Lake of Carezza in Val d'Ega valley is well known for its wonderful colors and also called "Lec de Ergobando" and can be called Carezza Lake is a pearl of the Dolomiti. Nestled between an ancient forest of grand firs and the Latemar mountain is place of legends and beauty a nymph lives under its emerald waters.

Lake Carezza is the most beautiful lake in the Alps, because its reflection of the Rosengarten creates massive twinkles on the surface like jewels sparkling in the sun. Legend has it that a magician smashed the rainbow he had created to seduce a mermaid into the lake, sending lovely colors tumbling into the water. The chirping birds loved listening to the water nymph, but as soon as they heard some strange noise, they would twitter nervously and fly around in fear. Thus, the nymph would have time to dive into the lake and disappear, and never came into danger. The lake is mainly fed by subterranean springs from the Latemar massif.

The lake depth and size changes from season to season and depends on the weather, and at its max depth is 22 m deep. The little mountain lake is renowned in particular for the smooth, deep green of its water and the lovely backdrop of the mountains with the Catinaccio and Latemar mountains in the background. The lake is associated with many South Tyrolean legends and numerous writers and painters have selected the lake as the motif for their paintings and tales. The lake can be reached on the State road 241 (Val d'Ega State road, also recognized as the Dolomites State road). The road to the Passo di Costalunga, which runs in close nearness to the lake, is particularly busy in summer and during the day causes a certain amount of trouble. T

he lake is fenced and it is prohibited to walk on its banks. The lake is at its most striking in the evening or early morning, when the streams of tourists have not yet monopolized the nearby car park and the Catinaccio and Latemar mountains are reflected with the green of the Carezza forest in the crystal-clear water. A beautiful water nymph once lived in the lake.  The Lake of Carezza is still filled with the brilliant colors of the rainbow and why the Ladin people call it the ‘Lec de ergobando’, the Rainbow Lake.