Gole di Aielli-Celano

The Gole di Aielli-Celano cut a narrow limestone gorge through the Sirente massif between the towns of Celano and Aielli. In places, the walls rise about 200 metres above a channel only two metres wide, with the Fonte degli Innamorati and ruins of the monastery of San Marco alle Foci among its notable features.

Why it matters

The gorge is a striking karst landscape within the Parco Naturale Regionale Sirente-Velino. Flowing water has cut through the limestone to form a deep, narrow corridor. At its narrowest points, the walls are about two metres apart and reach heights of roughly 200 metres. The route also preserves evidence of religious history within this mountain landscape.

What to notice

Water has polished the gorge walls into channels. At the Fonte degli Innamorati, water runs down a rock face over vegetation. The cliffs and surrounding woodland support wildlife including griffon vultures, eagle owls and peregrine falcons. The ruins of the monastery of San Marco alle Foci stand within the gorge.

Context and history

The gorge formed within the karst systems of the Sirente massif, where water works through fissures in soluble rock. The stream emerges near the locality of Foci. The monastery of San Marco alle Foci is documented from the twelfth century and adds a medieval layer to the landscape. The park protects the gorge as part of the wider Sirente-Velino natural area.