Riserva naturale dell'Abbadia di Fiastra, State nature reserve in Province of Macerata, Italy
The Riserva naturale dell'Abbadia di Fiastra is a protected area in the Province of Macerata featuring woodlands, cultivated fields, and streams across varying elevations. The site includes remains of a 12th-century Cistercian abbey and several small museums dedicated to local history and traditions.
The Cistercian monastery was founded in the 12th century and became an important religious and economic center for the region. The abbey declined in later centuries and was eventually abandoned in the 15th century.
The abbey and surrounding area shaped agricultural practices in the region for centuries, with monks managing forests and farms in ways that visitors can trace through the landscape. Museum collections today show how these early methods influenced the Marche territory.
The area is well-equipped with marked hiking trails, cycling paths, and observation points for wildlife viewing spread throughout the grounds. Basic facilities including cafes and information desks are available at various locations to help visitors navigate and enjoy the site.
A woodland called La Selva represents one of the last original hill forests of the region, protected for centuries first by monks and later by a private family. This intact forest offers a rare glimpse of the natural vegetation that once covered the entire Marche territory.
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