The small village of Rocca di Cave, located on top of a hill in the Prenestini Mountains, offers the opportunity to enjoy an exciting journey back in time and to discover the local history by admiring the incredible remains of a dinosaur, as well as fossils, and stars.
The fossilized bones of the dinosaur were found near Rocca di Cave in 2012 inside some stone blocks, during the construction of a dry-stone wall. According to experts, the skeleton belonged to a species never seen in Italy before, belonging the Titanosaur Family, which lived approximately 112 million years ago.
Tito, dinosaur @montiprenestini.info
The giant creature, with his long neck, just like the ones from the movies or children’s books, embodies the power of nature and the mystery of prehistory and the great extinction.
Tito, the dinosaur
A full-scale reconstruction of this imposing six metres long dinosaur, nicknamed Tito by researchers, is now displayed in the Giardino Paleobotanico del Planetario, alongside the models of a 20-metre-long Diplodocus and a 7-metre-long Sartriosaurus..
The Cretaceous Fossil Reef at Rocca di Cave – Photo @ FB Smurc – Sistema museale di Rocca di Cave
Walking from Via Genazzano along a fascinating 1.5 km geological trail immersed in nature, it is possible to admire remarkable fossilized remains of molluscs, sponges, and corals. The route runs within the Monumento Naturale Regionale Scogliera Cretacica Fossile, a fossilized coral reef, witnessing to the life that flourished in a tropical sea about 100 million years ago.
Museo Geopaleontologico Ardito Desio – Photo: FB Smurc – Rocca di Cave Museum System
The 9th-century Rocca Colonna Fortress houses the Museo Geopaleontologico Ardito Desio, which displays several specimens, tactile models, scale replicas, excavation pits, and multimedia facilities.
Museo Geopaleontologico Ardito Desio – Photo: FB Smurc – Rocca di Cave Museum System
At the top of the 933 metres high Rocca Colonna Tower, stands a noteworthy astronomical observatory featuring a new dome and telescope, while, on Via di Colle di Pozzo, lies the modern educational Planetarium, equipped with a 10-metre full-dome screen.
The astronomical observation in the Planetarium – Photo: FB Smurc – Smurc-sistema Museale Roca di Cave
Inside the Planetarium, visitors will be able to experience an extraordinary journey through the cosmos and to observe the constellations across the seasons, the moon, the planets, and the galaxies. In addition, a team of experts will narrate about the myths and traditions connected with the night sky. The Museo Geopaleontologico, the Planetarium, the Stazione Astronomica, the Giardino dei Dinosauri e the Scogliera Cretacea are part of the Sistema Museale di Rocca di Cave (SMuRC). Come and experience this unforgettable journey from prehistory to outer space for both adults and children!