The myth amidst the waters: The Marmore Falls, an ancient work and spectacular beauty

The Marmore Falls is the highest man-made waterfall in the world, with its 165-meter drop across three tiers. It is located among the green hills of Val Nerina, 7-8 km from Terni, and the Velino river's water plunges into the underlying Nera river. It was the Romans who made this spectacle possible.

In 271 BC, the consul Manius Curius Dentatus ordered the excavation of the Cavo Curiano to drain the swamps in the Rieti plain. And then, great architects like Giovanni Fontana and Andrea Vici shaped the waterfall's current breathtaking form, making the spectacle we can now admire possible. The flow rate is controlled nowadays, and the beauty lies in all the details of how the jet flows. The scenic effect and its operation are inextricably linked to that of the Galleto hydroelectric power station and also to the protection of the surrounding ecosystem.

The Nera River Park is where the site begins. And along the paths, which are easy to follow, there are also species typical of the river environment. Trail number 1 is known as the "ancient passage" and connects the lower and upper viewpoints with approximately 600 steps. Instead, the "Balcony of the Lovers" is accessible only with a guided tour, and there it is possible to touch the waters with your hand. The "Nymph's Ring" trail, however, is the easiest and winds through the canyon and the woods, making it ideal for the little ones. This waterfall was a destination for many famous writers, such as Lord Byron during the Grand Tour, who described it as horribly beautiful, but also for painters like Turner and great intellectuals and popes. Its fame, in fact, is not just contemporary but historical.

Many portraits, poems, and diaries celebrate the location. An ancient legend tells that the waterfall is the result of the metamorphosis of a nymph and a shepherd, Nera and Velino, who were transformed into rivers by a jealous ancient deity, and thus the eternal cascade was born, allowing love and destiny to be recounted every time the water falls. The Marmore Falls are a mix of engineering, myth, nature, and beauty.

The viewpoints allow for a perfect view for those who seek silence, but also and above all, to see what is possible to achieve with the mind alone. It is a corner of Umbria where water dances between earth and legend.

Cover photo credits: Sailko (Wikimedia)