This property is in the village of Pacentro, which is one of the gateways in to the Majella National Park. The Majella National Park is a wilderness of special scientific beauty. It is also an area with rich seams of both archaeology and architecture. The area has been inhabited by tribes for 800,000 years, when tribes of hunter gatherers lived off the land. Remains have been found at the sites at Valle Giumentina, Grotta degli Orsi and Grotta del Colle.
Since then monasteries and hermitages have come and gone, many leaving behind significant evidence of their passing, such as San Clemente a Casuria, San Liberatore A Majella, San Salvatore a Majella, San Tommaso di Paterno and Santo Spirito a Majella. In the hermitages Desiderio di Benevento became Pope Vittore III and Pietro Angeleri of Isernia became Pope Celestino V.
Subsequent habitation has left engravings on rock, known as Tavola dei Briganti.
Historic ruins can also be found in many of the surviving villages in the Majella: Pacentro has the medieval district, with the remnants of the XIV century Castle Cantelmo and its church S. Maria Maggiore of the four hundreds; Caramanico Terme has the XII century Roman Gothic church of S. Maria Maggiore and church of San Tommaso, with its architrave, rose windows and fresco paintings of the two hundreds; Salle has the ruins of the Castello di Salle, Tocco da Casauria and Pennapiedimonte; Pescocostanzo has the splendid buildings of the five hundred and the six hundred, and the XI century Basilica di S. Maria del Colle, rebuilt in 1466; Guardiagrele has the XI century Romanesque church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the church of San Franesco, with a XV century Roman-gothic portal; the town of Sulmona has its cathedral and the Church of Annunziata, originating in 1320; and nearby is the sanctuary of Ercole Curino, which dates back to the middle of the first Century B.C.
The Majella National Park is unique in being the most southern Alpine area in Europe. Its rigorous and changeable climate is known for its harshness. The area is vast and impressive. It has over 60 mountain peaks, of which 30 are over 2,000 meters. The highest, Mount Amaro, is 2,793 meters. Nearby are Mount Acqua Vive, Mount Focalone, Mount Rotondo, Mount Macellaro, Pesco Falcone and Morelle Peak, all of which are over 2,500 meters. Some particular aspects of the wilderness offer rare aspects of biodiversity of not just European but worldwide importance. The area contains the rarest and threatened animal species of fauna.
In the deepest parts of the Majella can be found brown Marsican bears &, in the waters of Orfento & Orta, otters. Much more often seen are Apennine wolves, the icon of the Majella National Park, with 6 - 7 packs roaming different areas. The brown Marsicia bear is the symbol of the Abruzzo National Park. There are about 80 bears living in the area and on the neighbouring massifs.
Deer & deer roe are frequently seen in both the wooded and the open areas of the Majella, whilst the Abruzzo chamois have made the peaks their home. The Abruzzo chamois is the symbol of the nearby Gran Sasso - Laga Mountains National Park. It is a relative of the Pyrenean and Cantabrian Mountain chamois. It lives in Val di Rose and on the slopes of Mount Amaro as well as in the Murelle amphitheatre and on Mount Camicia.
Other animals include wild cats, marten, polecats, white-back woodpeckers, hawks, goshawks, the yellow breast hawk owl, the Apennine salamander & the Savi salamandrina. There are also 6 pairs of golden eagles, Alpine choughs & Alpine chaffinches, climbing woodpeckers, peregrines & the rarer lanner. Exclusive to the Majella is the dotterel.
The best places to find wolves is around Pretoro; otters around Caramanico Terme; red deer around Ateleta; roe deer around Serramonacesca; & chamois around Lama dei Peligni.
The Majella National Park is charaterised by an abundance of species. Of the 2,100 examples, 142 are endemic to the region. It is particularly difficult to single out any, but the Soldanella del Calcare and the Lily of Majella were respectively chosen as the symbols for the Botanical gardens in the Park of S. Eufemia and in Lama dei Peligni.
All the flora of the Majella is also enhanced by the presence of numerous floral elements. This is caused by the particular position of the massive mountains, which are classified as the most southern part of the Alps. On the high slopes of the Majella is a concentration of glacial relict species, such as Wood-nymph and the Alpine poppy, in addition to numerous Balkan - Apennine entities. The geographical links to the Balkans are obvious from the air. Examples of these include the Alpine Apennine Star, the Apennine Genitian and the Alpine Star.
Another uniqueness are the Medeterranrelicts, which find shelter on the cliffs exposed to the sun. The high altitude range which distinguishes the massif of the Majella has determined the presence of more than 50 different habitats. Beech trees characterise the dominating natural forest landscape, up to 1,700 - 1,800 meters, often enriched by by Yew, Holly, Sorb and Maple, in addition to several fruiting species. On the northern Majella are vast expanses of the Maple of Lobel.
Lily of the Valley forms the twisted band of shrubs, which is most extensive in the Apennine region and it finds an expansive habitat in the Majella between 1,700 and 2,300 meters. In addition, there are biotopes having relict characteristics of extreme geo-botanical interest, such as the formation of Birch, which are only located in the National Park. Other precious entities that grow here include the Black Honeysuckle, the herbaceous bramble and the beautiful Cypripedium.
Clinging to the rocks of the gorges are numerous more species, including the Neopolitan Bellflower, Columbine of Majella, and numerous saxifrages, which have developed adapying strategies to survive the harsh conditions.
Must sees include the botanical gardens, Michele Tenore, in Lama dei Peligni and Daniela Brescia in S. Eufemia a Maiella.