Campo Soriano, Natural monument in Monti Ausoni, Italy.
Campo Soriano is a protected natural monument in the Monti Ausoni range, encompassing extensive limestone formations with caves and sinkholes carved by water over time. At its core stands a distinctive rock tower that resembles a cathedral in appearance.
Protection was granted in 1985 after a mining company proposed extracting marble from the site, sparking local opposition that ultimately led to safeguarding. This decision marked a turning point in preserving the area from industrial extraction.
The name Rava di San Domenico for the 18-metre rock tower, known as La Cattedrale, likely comes from Benedictine monks of Fossanova and Terracina who settled the Ausoni plateaus in the early Middle Ages; San Domenico da Sora is venerated in southern Lazio. A cross is carved on the rock's walls, marking the boundary between Terracina and Sonnino, and old bricks closing a natural niche suggest a votive image once stood there.
Reaching this site from Terracina involves heading northward on Appia Antica road, crossing the railway, then following the Scifelle road and turning onto Casaletti road. The route is straightforward with standard road markings to guide the way.
The Rava di San Domenico, an 18-metre limestone tower known as La Cattedrale, carries a cross carved into its walls marking the boundary between Terracina and Sonnino. Traces of old bricks closing a natural niche suggest a votive image once stood there. Its name likely recalls Benedictine monks from Fossanova and Terracina who settled the Ausoni plateaus in the early Middle Ages.
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