Rich in history and charm, Rocca di Cave is a village perched on the defensive walls of a watch tower dating back to the year 1000, owned by the Colonna family from 1100 to the 19th century.
Overview of the Prenestini – Tiburtini Mountains
Perfect for defence, dominating the valley of the Sacco river and with a view as far as the Tyrrhenian Sea, the tower of the Colonna Castle was built on a pre-existing Roman site, with an irregular hexagonal plan and two cut-off corner towers. In the centre, the remains of the ancient St. Peter’s Church survive, with a cross-vaulted roof.
The Rocca houses the Museo Civico Geopaleontologico dedicated to the great geologist Ardito Desio, who led the first expedition on K2 in 1954. Geopaleontological collections strongly linked to the territory are kept here. In 2016, the dinosaur ‘Tito’, the first Italian sauropod known from skeletal remains, was found in the Prenestini Mountains. In Rocca di Cave it is possible to experience an exciting excursion on his tracks to discover the millenary history of the area.
Fossil Cretaceous coral reef @parchilazio.it
Discover the world of fossils in Rocca di Cave starting at the Regional Natural Monument Cretaceous Fossil Reef, a geological-naturalistic itinerary of about 1.5 km on the Via Genazzano, where remains of molluscs, sponges and corals surface. The coral reef bears witness to the life that flourished in a tropical sea some 100 million years ago.
Rocca di Cave
The ‘Ardito Desio’ Geopaleontological Museum has an Astronomy teaching laboratory for schools, consisting of a planetarium with a 6-metre diameter dome and an opto-digital projector.
Typical local dishes include ‘gnoccacci’ with sheep sauce, tagliatelle or tagliolini with porcini mushrooms, polenta, cheese and nuts. Among the main courses, try the ‘arrosticini di pecora’ and ‘lumache alla romana’. Varied and tasty are the desserts with marroni di Cave PAT, the pride of Cave and Rocca di Cave, from the enchanting chestnut groves over 100 years old in the Prenestini Mountains area. And if you want to get a taste of them, don’t miss the Chestnut Festival between October and November.