Covering approximately 9,000 hectares of Tyrrhenian shoreline between Anzio (RM) and Terracina (LT), the Parco nazionale del Circeo (National Park of Circeo) was established in 1934 to protect the wealth of biodiversity and the significant artefacts dating back to prehistory in the area.
The promontory’s numerous caves and naturally occurring refuges have been revealed as prehistoric sites: with a male Neanderthal skull found in the Guattari cave. Other archaeological artefacts date to Republican and Imperial Rome, such as the remains of the torre Paola channel and the thermal-residential complex of Domitian’s villa.
The park includes the selva di Terracina also known as the “Selva di Circe” which covers approximately 3,000 hectares; the shoreline features dunes, a half-moon of sand with blue sea on the left and the coastal lakes bordering the forest to the right, behind the dune; the bulky limestone promontory of Circeo, also known as monte Circeo or picco di Circe, about 500m in height; the four coastal lakes: Fogliano, dei Monaci, Caprolace and Sabaudia, positioned between the dunes and the forest; and the island of Zannone where a nature ramble trail leads up to a convent and monte Pellegrino (194m). There are also 40 odd caves in the area, including 8 rather large ones looking over the sea, e.g.the grotta della Maga Circe and the grotta delle Capre.
Roma Lazio Film Commission
Via Parigi 11 – 00185, Roma
Phone: +39 06 72286273/320
Fax: +39 06 722 1127
Email: info@romalaziofilmcommission.it
