Caffarella park

flora and morphology of the area

This park presents some natural hills formed by the passage of a tributary

of the Almone river. When the river flooded the Romans built a 6-metre

viaduct to pass over the river ditch.

The other hills were formed during the construction of Line A of Underground

when the City Council decided to dump the excess soil in the park.

The streets leading to the park

Via delle Cave: it got its name from the four tunnels under the street from which tufo and pozzolana - the local stones - were extracted.

Via Latina: it was known since the Paleolitic as the street leading to the south of Italy. It was rebuilt by the Romans and got this name because it linked Lazio Vetus (all the populations of Ancient Latium). The Romans conquered these people who became Cives Romani.

Via dei Cessati Spiriti: it was used to go to the south of Italy. This street was built as an alternative to the Appian Way which was controlled by lords who asked for passage toll. Therefore Pilgrims built alternative streets in a low-lying rural area formed by the river. When pilgrims traveled along this dark street at night they where often attacked by bandits who weren’t seen, so they were mistaken for spirits who lived along the street. In 1800 guards were set to control the street and a shrine to the Madonna was built. In this way the spirits were warded off. For this reason the street is called Via dei CESSATI SPIRITI.

The streets leading to the park

FAUNAParadise tree: Ailantus Altissima or Ailanto. It’s a

hardwood tree imported from China to substitute the

gypsum used to feed silkworms but in Italy it never

happened.

Black Poplar: from Latin

Populus Nigra. It likes

humidity and is a proof of the

river presence in the past.

Piazza del Popolo in Rome

takes its name from this tree.

Cherry tree: from Latin PrunusCerasiferas (carries the

cherries) it has got a smooth trunk and big smooth leaves.

The blossom is sacred and it is considered perfection in

Japan.

Robinia Pseudo Acacia: takes

its name from the botanist John

Robeon who discovered it . It

has a large trunk with boughs

and it is from north America and

Canada.

Cypress:is the cemetery tree for two

reasons: The roots are in contact

with the ground. It’s tall and has a

pyramidal structure which seems to

put in contact earth and sky.

Maple tree: from Latin

Acer Mitundo, it’s on the

Canadian flag.

Lime tree: it has a heart-shaped leaf and

it’s famous because honey

can be produced from its blossom.

Hemlock: it’s similar to fennel, it’s a weed which, if eaten, frees irreversible enzymes which bring cerebral death.

Jude’s tree: from Latin CercisSiliquastro, it takes its name from Jude who hung himself on this tree after betraying Jesus. The treebecame red from his blood therefore the fruits are red.

Holm oak: it is an

evergreen from Latin

Quercus Ilex. Other

evergreens are Cork and

Umbrella Pine tree.

River Almone: it’s the river flowing from the Alban Hills. It’s the third river

in Rome after the Aniene and the Tiber. It’s 20 km long and was sacred

for the Romans. Near the river there is the Constantinian columbarium

(tomb) .

Sacred wood: according to the legend Numa Pompilio wrote the

Roman laws under the inspiration of the nymph Egeria with whom he

had an affair. This area became sacred for the Romans who planted

many sacred oaks. This legend is narrated by Ovid. After World War II

only a Holm oak remained. Now this area retains the genetic heritage

of the last oak because the of this plant have been planted again.

The fountain of Egeria:is part of the heritage of Erode Atico . The legend says

that the Athenian Erode Attico senior was so poor and desperate that he hit his

head against a wall and he realized the wall was hollow and he found a treasure.

For this reason he wrote to Nerva who told him to use and abuse the treasure. In

realty Erode was a bandit who had hidden the money and his son inherited it

and on he built a fountain. It was an artificial cave with a statue in the center from

which the water of the God Almone sprouted, also providing the water for the

octagonal pool. It was a lacus salutaris. When the Torlonia family obtained the

land they built an irrigation canal from the fountain.

Tufo: is a lava stone produced by the volcano of the Alban Hills. In this volcano the lava was very dense and in order to exit it produced an explosion of gas and ash which hit all Rome with

its pyroclastic flow that spread and destroyed every form of life. 10.000 years passed and the volcano woke up again causing another explosion: layers and layers of galate created tufo (compact) and pozzolana (friable).The tufo is an insulating substance.