Watercourses in the The Park Authority’s

Caffarella Valley projects The Water Trail

The Caffarella Valley is
criss-crossed by a network
of ditches and irrigation
canals (marrane), which
are in turn intersected by
many smaller drainage
channels. The main body
of water is the Almone
On the occasion of the year
2000 Jubilee, the entire
valley was improved. The M
Park Authority has recently Re di Roma
promoted a number of
initiatives aimed at Ferrovia
fostering the environmental Porta Latina
and hydraulic upgrading of

river, flanked on both sides
by two irrigation canals.
The Almone river
originates at the foot of the
Alban Hills, while the two
AC&P
the Almone River and the
irrigation canals (marrane).
These initiatives focus on M
Mura Aureliane
restoring the pre-existing Porta S. Sebastiano Furio Camillo
farming environment, as

THE WATER
Via
irrigation canals have their well as on protecting,

Via
Lat
Ostiense ina

Ap
source near Via strengthening and Via Cilicia

pia
dell’Almone and are fed by maintaining the valley- M Autobus

Nu
87

ov
two small springs which plain and river-bank

a
TRAIL
flow at the foot of the vegetation. The project has Tomb of Orazio
M
valley’s hills. Over the already established a new PARK AUTHORITY HEADQUARTERS
centuries, the Almone river wetland, the poplar-grove Pond and poplar grove Colli Albani
was diverted and canalised pond. Further objectives i Tomb of Geta 7 Ma
rra INFORMATION DESK
countless times, mainly for are the restoration and re- na
del i Largo Tacchi Venturi
the purpose of irrigating activation of the Domine Quo Vadis la P
Tomb Ca
the fields of the fertile Vaccareccia Farmstead’s of Priscilla Fium ffa Arco
di Travertino M
e Alm rel

Via Cris
Caffarella valley, which drinking trough, and the one la
has been farmed since planting of a vegetable
time immemorial. garden and a fruit-orchard 6 Casale dell’Ex Mulino

toforo C
Nowadays, its course for educational and Via della Caffare
lla
reaches upstream as far as scientific purposes. 8 Casale Vaccareccia
Ciampino Airport, near the olombo Latin tombs
Sacred Water (Acqua INFORMATION:

Via
Santa) spring along the

Ap
Appia Nuova, where the MONDAY-FRIDAY: 5

pia
waters of the Patatona and Parco Regionale Appia Antica

An
Springs
Via Appia Antica, 42

tic
Acqua Mariana ditches

a
00179 Rome - Italy Nymphaeum of Egeria
flow into it; downstream, Tel. + 39 06 5126314 Via 4

one
Torre Valca
the river crosses the Via info@parcoappiaantica.org Via de App
ia P

Alm
lle Sett igna 9
Cristoforo Colombo, and is www.parcoappiaantica.org e Chies
telli S. Urbano Sacred Wood

dell’
e
eventually channelled into 3

Via
the South Rome Sewer. SUNDAYS:
Information desk Acquasanta 10
The Aeneid relates that the 2
Egeria (also providing bicycle Columbarium
name of the river derives San Sebastiano Roman Cistern of Constantine
from the Trojan hero rental services)
Casale ex Mulino Distance: km 5
bearing the same name, Circus of Maxentius

Via
Almone, son of Tyrrus, Visiting time: on foot 2.30 hours, by bicycle 1 hour 1 Fonte Egeria

Ard
keeper of the Trojan Accessibility: partial

eat
army’s herd, who died in

ina
the war between the ENTE PARCO Refreshment point: Fonte Egeria PARCO
Trojans and the Latins REGIONALE Public Toilets: Fonte Egeria, Casale ex Mulino Cecilia Metella REGIONALE
lla
which preceded Rome’s DELL’APPIA Parking: Acquasanta Egeria (Via Almone, 105/107) Mete DELL’APPIA
foundation. ia ANTICA
ANTICA Bus and Underground (Metro): 660 cil
Ce
di
Via
 Via Prenestina
Porta S. Sebastiano
Park Authority Headquarters Valley, traversed by the 4TH STOP the Almone River. Today, slightly acidulous springs, plays an essential role in 9TH STOP
Via C
asilina Almone river, is clearly The Nymphaeum of Egeria the Park Authority has such as that of the Egeria preserving the bio-diversity Valca Tower (Torre Valca)
G.R.A.
Fonte Egeria visible. This is one of the built an artificial canal for Spring. Two of these are of the area. It has been
few spots where it is still (Il Ninfeo di Egeria) the purpose of channelling clearly visible. The first is created by diverting the On your left, near the

bo
olom
possible to see the oldest According to the legend, these unpolluted waters on your right, beyond the waters of the right-hand Almone River, you can see
C. C
Via Tu
Via
scolan
a rocks resulting from the the Nymph Egeria was one into the left-hand irrigation metal handrail. The second irrigation canal, which a Medieval tower which
activity of the Alban Hill of the Camenae (lesser canal, which has excellent spring is on the left, a few flooded frequently thereby was built to keep look out

Via
Via
Ana

App
gnin
volcano, in particular the goddesses, associated to environmental qualities. dozen metres further on, damaging the nearby over a bridge whose

ia A
a

ntic
pozzolanas with their waters and springs). In The nineteenth-century near the intersection with farmlands. After wending remains are still visible.

Via
App
characteristic red colouring, exchange for offerings of stone canal which skirts the the path that leads to the its way through the pond, The building technique

ia N
uov
and the tuff from Villa water and milk, the metal foot-bridge was part Vaccareccia Farmhouse. the water flows adopted – rectangular

a
Via A
Senni. The Cistern, Camenae granted a of a longer canal whose Both springs flow into the downstream into the blocks of tuff – dates it to
rdea probably built around 100 prophecy. They usually waters were used to run the left-hand irrigation canal. irrigation canal’s old bed. the twelfth or thirteenth
tina
AD, was originally situated consorted with heroes or Mill that stands beside the Water quality in this area centuries. The tower, pro-
underground and was used great personages. Thus, Tomb of Annia Regilla. 6TH STOP is excellent, as is testified tected by a first defence
On foot or by bicycle, explore the Caffarella Valley, to collect rain water, which Egeria is linked to the Old Mill Farmstead to by the presence of wall and equipped with a
located in a corner of the Roman countryside was then employed for origins of Rome itself by 5TH STOP breams and sticklebacks, drawbridge that led directly
traversed by the Almone River, in a site where irrigating farmland. her marriage to Numa (Casale dell’ex Mulino) fish living only in pristine to the first floor, probably
The Springs
water has always played a leading role. Setting off Subsequently, during the Pompilius, the Sabine king Restored in 2002, the environments. hosted a water-operated
from the Egeria Spring (Fonte Egeria), through construction of the Circus who succeeded Romulus. A great number of springs Farmhouse is now open to valca or fulling-mill, used
the remains of the Sacred Wood (Bosco Sacro) and of Maxentius, it became Legend has it that they met are present in the the public. It is here that 8TH STOP for the manufacture and
the Nymphaeum, reach the springs, the irrigation level with the surface when in this very place to talk Caffarella Valley and in its the Park Authority carries Vaccareccia Farmstead washing of woollen cloth.
earth was removed around and make love; here the immediate surroundings. out its educational and
canals (Marrane) and the poplar-grove pond it in order to build the Nymph inspired her This is due in the first cultural activities. The (Casale della Vaccareccia) 10TH STOP
(Laghetto del Pioppeto). circus’ track. For further bridegroom to design the place to its being a low- canal which you observed Before you rises the The Columbarium of
information on the volcano laws and the basis of the lying area, and secondly, to from the Nympaheum of Vaccareccia Farmhouse.
and the morphology of the religious system of ancient the fact that the Egeria, and which in the Built during the sixteenth Constantine (Colombario
1ST STOP During all the first half of valley, we recommend you Rome. impermeable substratum Middle Ages activated the century in what was then Costantiniano)
Egeria Sacred Water the twentieth century, the refer to the photographic The architectural structure supporting the millstone located below the the Caffarelli estate, it is Easily visible from this
spring continued to be one panel which you will find of the building is today groundwater aquifers present eighteenth century constructed around a spot, the Columbarium of
Spring of the favourite at the next stop. clearly discernible thanks embedded in the volcanic farmhouse, ends here. The thirteenth century tower Constantine is a temple-
(Fonte Acquasanta Egeria) destinations of the people to the restoration rocks is very close to the waters from the Almone made from tuff blocks and shaped tomb dating back
The water from the Egeria of Rome. For the past fifty 3RD STOP conducted in 1999. It surface. The interaction River once flowed into the marble fragments. The to the second century AD.
Spring – whose name years, the Egeria Spring The Sacred Wood consists of a large between the water tables canal near the Valca Tower. upper portion of the tower The monument has a two-
derives from an ancient water has been managed rectangular room, with a contained in the volcanic The Tomb of Annia Regilla protrudes from the storey rectangular plan,
legend – has been famous by the Società Acqua (Bosco Sacro) niche at the back, and rocks and the deeper water (second century AD), the farmstead’s roof. The main with a front portico of
since antiquity for its Santa di Roma. This The three extant hollies are three smaller niches on tables has enriched the central monument in block features a portico which the structural
curative properties. In the mineral water is rich in the only surviving trees both side walls, built in springs with mineral salts. Herodes Atticus’ Triopius, with arches resting on sections are built in yellow
sixteenth century it mineral salts such as from a wood planted in the opus mixtum (mixed The oldest pyroclastic is attached to the granite columns with bricks, while red ones form
regained popularity after a calcium, magnesium, eighteenth century on the technique) composed of rocks, which form the Farmstead. marble Corinthian capitals. the decorative parts. The
long period of neglect potassium and fluorine. same spot where Herodes lattice-work and bricks. It slopes of the valley itself, The drinking trough, on lower floor hosted the
thanks to Pope Gregory Atticus, the first landed is this technique which come into contact with 7TH STOP the left, was fed by the still funerary chamber. During
VII’s physician and to the 2ND STOP proprietor in the history of enables us to date the more recent sediments – The Pond (Laghetto) extant springs which flow the Middle Ages the
Abbot Tommaso della The Roman Cistern the Caffarella, had ordered building to the middle of consisting mainly of clay near the Farmstead, and building was converted into
Valle, who described it a Sacred Wood to be the second century AD. and silt - carried by the This is one of the most was still in use until the a mill. A canal, regulated
enthusiastically in his (Cisterna Romana) planted. And the tradition The fountain’s water Almone river. Along this recent enterprises carried 1930’s. It was unearthed at by a lock system, entered
Guida all’Acqua Santa If you stand with your continues to this day. springs from the niche at contact area at the base of out by the Park Authority. the time of the the building and activated
(Guide to the Sacred back to the remains of the Nowadays, from the acorns the back, which hosts a the hills where soils having This wet-land has made it improvement works a horizontal millstone. The
Water). In the seventeenth cistern and look slightly to produced by these three reclining statue of the god a great variety of possible to improve the carried out in the mill was fed by a spring
century, the first chemical the right, you will see that trees, a new tree is planted Almone. The water issues permeability come together, quality of the Caffarella Caffarella Valley in located further upstream,
tests were performed on the you find yourself on the for each child born in the from an acidulous spring the groundwater contained Valley’s ecosystem, occasion of the Jubilee. whose waters have today
water, and the spring was rim of the hills belonging to area (as you can see in the located under the Via in the volcanic rocks providing migratory birds The Park Authority is been diverted into the
linked to the city by means the volcanic complex of the small enclosed space to Appia Pignatelli, which accumulates thus giving with an adequate resting planning to restore the Almone River to preserve
of two carriage roads. Alban Hills. The Caffarella your right). once flowed naturally into rise to numerous mineral, site. In addition to this, it drinking trough. the building’s stability.