Pollino National Park

Pollino National Park (Italian: Parco Nazionale del Pollino) is a national park in southern Italy that straddles the regions of Basilicata and Calabria. It is Italy's largest national park, covering 1,925.65 square kilometers.[1][2]

Parco Nazionale del Pollino
IUCN category II (national park)
A view of the park
Pollino Location of park
Location	Basilicata, Calabria
Nearest city	Morano Calabro
Coordinates	39°55′36″N 16°06′41″E
Area	1,925.65 km2 (743.50 sq mi)
Established	1993
Governing body	Ministero dell'Ambiente

The park includes the Pollino and Orsomarso massifs, which are part of the southern Apennine Mountains. The park's highest point is Serra Dolcedorme, which is 2,267 meters high.[3]

The park's symbol is the rare Bosnian pine tree. The common beech is the park's most prevalent tree. The park is also home to a variety of medicinal herbs.[4]

The park is home of the oldest Europeen tree, a Heldreich's pine estimated 1,230 years old. [5]

Towns with interesting sights include Rotonda, Castrovillari, Morano Calabro (convent of Colloreto), Laino Castello, Mormanno, Scalea, Papasidero, Civita, Cerchiara (church of Madonna delle Armi). Albanian-speaking communities are present in communes such as San Paolo Albanese, San Costantino Albanese and others. In the Valle del Mercure have been discovered remains of pre-historic species such as Elephas antiquus and Hippopotamus major.

Rivers and streams include the Lao, Sinni, Coscile, Garga, and Raganello.

Wildlife include golden eagle, Italian wolf, roe deer, black woodpecker, chough, peregrine falcon, red kite, lanner falcon, Dryomys nitedula, Egyptian vulture, European otter and deer