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Natural Reserve of Onferno
The natural reserve of Onferno, situated in the municipality of Gemmano, in the province of Rimini, was established in 1991 to protect a varied environment characterized by a rich vegetation and an outstanding wild fauna. The territory is characterized by the presence of gypsum and gullies, and gypsum extraction was one of the most important local resources up to the 50s.
Up to the early nineteenth century, the name of the city was Inferno, from the Latin word infernum which means dark place, to underline the presence of the famous caves, but it was transformed into Onferno by the Bishop from Rimini who didn't want to wield his power in a territory having a similar denomination.
Caves, dolines, cliffs, gullies and woods characterize one of the wildest landscapes in Romagna; the woodland called "Le selve" (the forests) is characterized by a thick vegetation made up of sessile oak, black hornbeam and manna ash; not to be missed are the maple tree, the sorb, the cornel tree, the hazel, the willow tree, the ailanthus and the false acacia.
Once crossed the wood, it is possible to reach a clearing provided with an outstanding view over the Conca valley, with Sassofeltrio and Montescudo in the foreground and San Marino and Carpegna in the background, up to the promontory of Gabicce overlooking the Adriatic Sea, as well as over the Valley of the River Foglia , with the castle of Tavoleto and Mounts Nerone and Catria.
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The most appreciated attraction for tourists is the cave which develops under the gypseous spur where, in the Middle Ages, rose the castle of Inferno. The entrance corresponds to the ancient Parish church of Santa Colomba, which was destroyed during the Second World War and is today the seat of the Visitor Centre and the Multimedia Naturalist Museum of Onferno.
Visitors are given an helmet and a torch before they approach to the path which is situated at an altitude of 290 metres but then goes down at a depth of 70 metres; visitors will cross canyons and narrow passages while guides describe them the suggestive environments, the limestone waterfall, the vent with the "cave pearls" and the great mamelons in the Quarina room, a mass of crystal hanging from the ceiling.
The inner vegetation is linked to the particularly cold and wet climate and contributes to enrich the biodiversity of the Natural Reserve of Onferno. The ground is only partially paved, that is why comfortable shoes are recommended. The water which constantly flows along the stone walls hollowed out cavities and created outstanding masses of calcium salts.
There are almost 4000 specimen of bats, the frightful guests of the caves which belong to six different species. The presence of miniopterouses, a dying species of bat, makes the cave an extremely important research centre.
Onferno Caves and Naturalistic Museum - via Provinciale Onferno - 47855 Gemmano (RN) - Tel. and Fax: 0541 984694
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