Val d'Aveto
The Val d'Aveto, or Aveto valley, straddles the Province of Genoa and the Province of Piacenza, between the Italian regions of Liguria and Emilia-Romagna. The river Aveto runs through the valley, to later join its waters with those of the Trebbia near the hamlet of Confiente. The upper, Ligurian part of the valley comprises the Comuni of Rezzoaglio and Santo Stefano d'Aveto; the lower, Emilian part of the valley is divided between Ferriere, Cerignale and Corte Brugnatella. Verdant and lush, characterized by pleasant sights, fresh and balmy summers and abundant snow in winter, the valley is flanked by forested mountains, culminating at the elevation of 1799 meters with Monte Maggiorasca.
History
In
During the High Middle Ages, the valley welcomed a community of friars, who went on to build an important monastery located at Villa Cella and quoted in written documents of the Lombard epoch. Up to the Middle Ages, a lake occupied the plain now known as la Moglia near the hamlet of Cabanne. It was the monks of Villa Cella that, working hard, opened the natural dam that kept the water into the lake and made it run down the valley through the Masappello gorge.
In later times, the valley was part of the
After the failure of the
During the
Today, part of the Val d'Aveto is covered by the Aveto Natural Regional Park (Parco Regionale dell'Aveto). The natural reserve of the Agoraie e Moggetto protects the Lago degli Abeti (Fir Lake), on whose bottom fossil fir logs can be seen.
Historical trivia
The Val d'Aveto was the den of
It is said that there was once an inn near the meadow known as Cabruscià. The innkeeper was murmured to be used to poison its richest guests; when exposed by the Malaspina lords, he was burnt alive in his inn, whence the name of the place, Ca bruxià (
The Val d'Aveto had an important guest in the
Culture
The Val d'Aveto is part of the culturally homogeneous territory known as the Four Provinces (
), sets the tune and rhythm for the dances and enlivens the feasts.Flora and fauna
The Ligurian Apennine is the border between the fitogeographic regions of Middle Europe and the Mediterranean; it connects the Alpine and peninsular Apennine ranges. For these reasons, plus the noteworthy altitudinal gradient (from about 350 metres asl at the confluence with the Trebbia up to the about 1800 of Monte Maggiorasca) different plant species from diverse environments thrive here. The Ligurian Sea is quite near, furthermore, to the upper part of the valley: some of the summits that surround it, as Monte Ramaceto or Monte Aiona, overlook valleys whose waters run directly into the sea.
As for animal life, the Val d'Aveto is still home to several wild species as:
References
- ^ Quando Hemingway attraversò la 'Valle degli dei'
- ^ La vera storia di Hemingway a pesca in Val d'Aveto
- ^ Flora della Val d'Aveto Flora della Val d'Aveto (Italian language)