Parco suburbano Valle del Treja, Regional park in Province of Viterbo and Metropolitan City of Rome, Italy.
Parco suburbano Valle del Treja is a regional protected area covering parts of both the Province of Viterbo and the Metropolitan City of Rome, built around deep river valleys carved into tufa rock. The Treja River runs through the heart of the park, forming gorges, waterfalls, and rocky slopes edged by forests and open meadows.
The valley was settled by the Etruscans, who cut tombs and chambers into the tufa rock that are still visible along the gorge walls. The park was established in 1992 to protect this natural and archaeological zone from further development.
The name of the park comes from the Treja River, which carved the gorges that define the whole area. The village of Calcata sits on a tufa rock above the valley and is now known as a meeting point for artists and craftspeople.
Most trails are well marked and easy to walk, though some sections run along steep gorge edges, so sturdy footwear is a good idea. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons to visit, as the deep valleys can become very hot in summer.
The tufa rock that forms the gorges is soft enough to have been carved by hand over the centuries, which is why the valley walls are dotted with chambers cut directly into the stone. Many of these were used as burial chambers and later repurposed as animal shelters or storage, traces of which are still visible today.
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