THE VEZZENO GORGES

In the wild Val Vezzeno stands an ophiolite complex of immense grandeur, upon which the ancient Celts had carved their sacrificial altar and, thousands of years later, Charlemagne granted Bishop Julian II permission to build his Castrum, now known as Gropparello Castle. A steep path, forming part of the ancient watchtower walkway, winds its way down through the gorges of the stream, surrounded by wild vegetation of great botanical interest. Thanks to the unique microclimate created by the combination of the ‘warm’ green rock and the humidity of the Vezzeno stream, Iceland moss grows alongside sedum, and carob trees stand alongside Scots pine. Here, accompanied by a guide whilst discovering the tracks of wild animals, immersed in lush green nature, they will deepen their understanding of the ‘Sublime Garden’ – that is, the quest for landscapes that evoke conflicting emotions, poised between the thrill of overcoming limits and the temptation to give up at every step due to fatigue or perhaps danger. In the early 1800s, starting with Goethe – not coincidentally another German – the pleasure of horror became a new expression of the human world. In literary works and paintings, natural disasters increasingly became central themes, no longer seen as divine punishment, but as an EVENT THAT SHAPES OUR FEARS AND EMOTIONS. THE SUBLIME The feeling one experiences in a place where it is difficult to draw the line between the garden and untamed nature, where nature in its original state consists of steep cliffs, dark caverns, breathtaking views and endless gorges. This landscape, with the Celtic altar above the gorge and its history of ancient rituals, takes the mind back to mythical origins ​ POSSIBLE SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS ALONG THE ROUTE: The ophiolite canyon: the movement of tectonic plates Mosses and lichens: biological indicators A highly ‘biodiverse’ environment: carob trees and Scots pines in the same woodland A ‘humid’ woodland environment: water microparticles and their influence on woodland plants The mixed woodland: coexistence and integration of plants with different characteristics and requirements The undergrowth with protected species of Emilia-Romagna: Gropparello, a secret treasure trove of endangered plants The water cycle: from rain to trickles to the stream Traces of wild animals’ passage: every day we discover together who has slept here The cave: the first refuge of prehistoric man The fossils of the Piacenza area The evolution of algae: ferns, algae that walk on dry land Plants and their legends Interaction between animals and the plant world in their daily lives Gropparello Castle is surrounded by a 20-hectare estate, comprising a centuries-old park, wild woods, valleys, vineyards and cliffs of bare rock. From the castle tower, one can see how the castle dominates the incredible and unique landscape characterised by the dark mass of ophiolite, topped by a coniferous forest, and the sheer cliff face upon which the castle stands. A number of paths wind their way around the castle: these are the ancient patrol walkways, which descend to the gorges of the stream; they consist of narrow paths and steps carved into the bedrock, at the edge of which lies a botanical garden created towards the end of the 1800s, a period when the wild nature of the ‘gorge’ was tamed by human intervention; This botanical garden contains particularly rare species, currently being catalogued, which were characteristic of the 16th-century-inspired Italian garden and the botanical garden as conceived in the 19th century. The striking ophiolite outcrops that form the foundations of the walls, and the wild vegetation growing amongst them to create a dense, shady woodland, help to imbue the atmosphere with a sense of magic. ​ THE CAVE: THE FIRST REFUGE OF PREHISTORIC MAN The cave evokes a secret, magical world that inspires wonder. Entering the cave is like venturing into Mother Earth, into a secret place where the concept of time – marked by the image of the sun rising and setting – is suspended, and all that remains is the TIME OF THE SOUL.