Piramidi di Zone, Regional nature reserve in the Province of Brescia, Italy

The Piramidi di Zone are earth pyramids in the Province of Brescia, formed by columns of compacted earth and pebbles each topped by a protective stone cap. They rise from the hillside terrain near Lake Iseo, arranged in groups across a wooded slope.

The pyramids originate from the Riss glaciation, about 150,000 years ago, when a lateral tongue of the Camuno glacier deposited moraine that blocked the valley head. Streams cut deep channels into the deposit, leaving clay columns capped by boulders. The regional reserve now protects this ongoing erosion phenomenon.

Locals call the columns "camini delle fate", fairy chimneys, a name tied to the erosion that shapes them. The reserve sits on the Cislano plateau above Zone, about 600 metres up on the north-east side of Lake Iseo, and the surrounding area was declared a regional reserve, making it a tourist draw.

The reserve lies on the Cislano plateau at Zone, about 600 m up, reached from Marone along the provincial road linking Brescia to Val Camonica. A ring route on foot takes about an hour, and entry is free. The ground is uneven, so wear sturdy shoes.

The protective stones sitting on top of each column were carried and deposited by glaciers from far away, not sourced locally. Without these caps, the columns beneath would erode at the same rate as the surrounding ground.