Pietra di Bismantova

An Iconic Apennine Landmark

The Pietra di Bismantova is one of the most recognisable natural monuments of the Northern Apennines, a dramatic sandstone mesa whose vertical cliffs and broad summit plateau rise abruptly from the surrounding ridges. Cited by Dante in the Divine Comedy, the formation has drawn travellers and pilgrims for centuries.

The View from Castelnovo ne' Monti

This live webcam looks out from the hillsides of Castelnovo ne' Monti, the principal town of the upper Reggio Emilia mountains, capturing the scattered houses and church towers spread across the valley below. The layered foothills lead the eye toward the distant crests of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.

A Year-Round Outdoor Destination

The Pietra is a celebrated hub for hiking, rock climbing and mountaineering, with trails circling its base and routes scaling its imposing walls. Through the seasons the Apennine landscape shifts from green meadows to winter snow on the higher summits.