Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Location of the National Park in Italy | |
Nearest city | L'Aquila, Teramo |
Coordinates | 42°29′N 13°28′E / 42.483°N 13.467°E |
Area | 1,413.31 km2 (545.68 sq mi) |
Established | 1991 |
Governing body | Ministero dell'Ambiente |
http://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.gran.sasso/Eindex.html |
The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural park located mostly in Abruzzo, Italy. Established in 1991, it has an area of 2,014 square kilometres (778 sq mi), and it is mainly spread out across the province of Teramo, L'Aquila, Pescara, with small areas in the province of Rieti and Ascoli Piceno. The terrain is predominantly mountainous with a alpine plains.
It is managed by Ente Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, with headquarters in Assergi, L'Aquila.
The Grand Highway of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park runs through the park between the Gran Sasso mountain peak and the chain known as Monti della Laga.
The park is one of the largest protected areas in Europe, and is centered around the massif of the Gran Sasso, which dominates the surrounding landscape; it rises vertically on the immense pastures of the Campo Imperatore. The land is very rocky and receives a large amount of snow and wind. The Calderone lies just beneath the tallest peak, the Corno Grande, and it is considered to be Europe's southernmost glacier. On the north side there is the profile of Monti della Laga chain, where thousands of migratory birds stop on the shores of Lake Campotosto. This area is completely covered by woods of beeches, firs, turkey oaks and chestnuts. There are over 200 kilometres (120 mi) of dedicated horse trails that can be used to visit the park.