In the heart of the Bolognese Apennines, between the Reno and Setta river valleys, located in the area of Mount Sole, is a large natural park that includes the municipalities of Marzabotto, Monzuno and Grizzana Morandi.
An Apennine area that appears to be like many others, full of extraordinary natural beauty and wildlife, but which actually hides a tragic historic story.
It was here, between 29 September and 5 October 1944, that the Nazi forces carried out a bloody massacre that led to the deaths of hundreds of innocent people: one of the cruellest pages in the story of the War of Liberation and the history of Italy.
The park is an impressive natural area. It is home to about 936 species of flora, almost one-third of the diversity of vegetation of the entire Emilia-Romagna region.
The fauna is also abundant and diverse. Visitors will often spot red deer, roe deer, wild boar and squirrels, but also birds, such as the small shrike, the Western Bonelli’s warbler, the common whitethroat warbler, the green woodpecker, the Eurasian nuthatch, the kingfisher and many more.
Within the park, there are several thematic trails, all of which are clearly marked. These include the Etruscan trail that includes the Marzabotto archaeological site (ancient Kàinua) and the “Memorial” path, which starts from the Poggiolo Visitor Centre and reaches the places of importance to the massacre and the peak of the Mount Sole.
