Rossomanno-Grottascura-Bellia Nature Reserve
The Rossomanno Grottascura Bellia di Enna Reserve rises in the multiform landscape of the Monti Erei and represents one of the largest green lungs in the whole of Sicily.
Made up of sandy and permeable plateaus , entirely cloaked in conifers, the reserve is nestled between Lake Pergusa, Mount Rossomanno, the archaeological areas of Cozzo Matrice and the Montagna di Marzo.
The human presence in the reserve is very ancient and dates back to prehistoric times, to the Copper Age between the 8th and 7th centuries. BC, as evidenced by the remains of the ancient village of Rossomanno destroyed in 1394. Inside the park there is in fact the necropolis of Rocca Crovacchio, which has circular tombs dating back to VII-IV century BC. The corresponding settlement of the Archaic period, located on the contiguous hill of Serra Casazze, also houses warehouses, a late Byzantine church and a convent of Benedictine monks built on the ruins of the destroyed town and used as a hermitage until a few decades ago. The area can be reached by arriving in Rossomanno from the Furna junction.
The reserve also includes the Parco della Ronza, a vast wooded area characterized by eucalyptus, conifers and broad-leaved trees. In the Parco della Ronza there is also one of the major equipped areas in Sicily, with benches, tables, aviary fountains and fenced areas where you can admire various animals up close. Inside the park is the c omplesso dei Pupi dancers , also known as Enchanted stones. It is a complex of rocks up to three meters high and made up of greyish sandstone. These rocks shaped by the wind are arranged around a circle, to the point that it has even been hypothesized that it may be a dolmenic alignment of prehistoric origin, and have a shape that resembles that of dancing human figures. This complex has always aroused the popular imagination so much so that some legends are linked to it.
The area is easily accessible on foot or by mountain bike and there are also some roads open to the passage of motorized vehicles.
The park has been closed for years for maintenance work.
