Pollino National Park
- Written by Lia Moto
- Published in News
- Hits: 1049
The Pollino National Park (Italian: Parco nazionale del Pollino) is a national park in Basilicata and Calabria, southern Italy. Comprised within the provinces of Cosenza, Matera and Potenza, with its 1,820 square kilometres it is the largest natural park in the country. It takes its name from the Pollino Massif (highest peak 2,267 m).
It was founded in 1992 and includes both natural and archaeological points of interest. The park's symbol is the Bosnian pine, which here has one of its last remaining growing areas in Italy. Towns with interesting sights include Rotonda, Castrovillari, Morano Calabro (convent of Colloreto), Laino Castello, Mormanno, Scalea, Papasidero, Civita, Cerchiara (church of Madonna delle Armi). Albanian-speaking communities are present in communes such as San Paolo Albanese, San Costantino Albanese and others. In the Valle del Mercure have been discovered remains of pre-historic species such as Elephas antiquus and Hippopotamus major. Rivers and streams include the Lao, Sinni, Coscile and Raganello.