Discovering the Apeninnes, the Italian Mountains You’ve Never Heard Of

Discovering the Apeninnes, the Italian Mountains You’ve Never Heard Of
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Crowning a jagged rise of ancient sandstone thrust up over the surrounding valley, this has been the site of a castle for many centuries. But its current, fantastical form—its glitter and swirls—has only occupied this prominent space for less than 200 years. Round towers and golden onion domes and a big clock ticking away below squared-away parapets, all of them competing for space atop Rocchetta Mattei, an impressive mishmash of architectural styles and inspirations.

Entering from below and following the curving cobblestone path into the castle, I arrived in a courtyard that was, once upon a time, resplendent with gardens, complete with a flowing fountain. All the surrounding symbols are about power—a harpy, a lion, even a balcony built especially for the pope, should he had ever chosen to visit, which he didn’t.

Tim Johnson
Tim Johnson
Author
Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson is always traveling in search of the next great story. Having visited 140 countries across all seven continents, he’s tracked lions on foot in Botswana, dug for dinosaur bones in Mongolia, and walked among a half-million penguins on South Georgia Island. He contributes to some of North America’s largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.
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