San Paolo in Alpe
and its natural features
San Paolo in Alpe lies along a ridge formed by a secondary spur running southwest to northeast. This spur branches off from the main Apennine ridge near Poggio Scali (1,520 m) and extends down towards Isola, where the valleys of Corniolo and Ridracoli meet, carved by the two branches of the Bidente River. Descending from Poggio Scali, between Monte Grosso and Poggio Squilla, the ridge loses its steep profile and opens into a plateau that hosts the pastures of San Paolo.
The whole area, as a large part of the’area apennine romagna, which lies on a rocky substrate, which is very characteristic: the training marnoso-arenaceal’alternating layers of marl and sandstone that may have a variable thickness. You can see an outcrop rather extended in the vicinity of the cemetery of St. Paul, along the path that goes from the Fiumari through Campodonato (CAI 255).
The entire plateau is surrounded by steep slopes to the east and west, largely covered by woodland or exposed rock. In the middle of the pastures, a small valley opens towards the southwest, where one of the streams that eventually forms the Alberaccio Creek originates.
And it is looking in this direction you can see the wood become a forest and gaze up at the top of the ridge of the apennines, where you can enjoy a’the broad perspective that embraces the forests Campigna and Blade. The one perched on the slopes steeper is the forest not included in the Integral Natural Reserve of the Integral Nature Reserve of Sasso Fratinorecently (2017) been a part of a serial site of the european and identifies it as a World Heritage dell’Humanity for its old-growth beech forests.
Returning to St. Paul, the whole l’area and its surroundings fall all’within the boundaries of the National Park Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, and Campigna National Park, Monte Falterona and Campigna. In particular, it falls all’in zone B of protection, and on the ridge passes the line that distinguishes it from area C. This subdivision, as defined in the statutory instruments of the’protected area, has the purpose to create areas with different degree of protection, regulates human activities are allowed in the function of the conservation of the biodiversity, landscape and historical elements-the testimony of the witnesses.
As one ascends from the valley towards higher elevations, mixed forests of Turkey oak and hop hornbeam are gradually replaced by woodlands where beech becomes increasingly dominant.
Above 1,000 metres, beech forests prevail, often forming mature stands interspersed with maples, ash trees, whitebeams, and, more rarely, lindens and elms. Here the woodland takes on the characteristics of true forest, and silver fir begins to appear. The upper Ridracoli Valley hosts one of the largest silver fir–beech forests within the National Park.
Should be mentioned for the lowest odds, to take the place of the old pastures or arable land, and also many examples of reforestation, populated by essential oils, such as the black pine, the pine, l’spruce and douglas fir.
Maybe l’environment that is more characteristic of St. Paul, however, is made from grasslandsthe dry grassland semi-natural are, in fact, one of the habitats protected by the The Natura 2000 Network. The whole area lies, in fact, all’the interior of the SIC-ZPS Monte Twins, Monte Guffone the ring of an ecological network of the european level, establishing Sites of Community Importance. These open areas are interspersed with vegetation, shrubs and trees such as juniper common, hawthorn, wild cherry, blackthorn and in the more humid areas of willows, alders and poplars.
You could say that the black poplars that dominate l’plateau are, perhaps, the trees more symbolic for their age, and the manner in which they contribute to define the landscape.
From the point of view of wildlife are definitely important to report all’within the Park in the large ungulates and the wolf their predator. In the grasslands of St. Paul are common deer and these open areas are a habitat for a rich birds and a micro-fauna (reptiles, rodents and bats) that adapts to the context, waste or man-made. Also are reported two bugs related in their life cycle to the dead wood and then typical of mature forests, l’Osmoderma eremita and the Rosalia Alpina the object of a project LIFE called The HERMIT.
San paolo in alpe
and its history
The story that, at the moment we know of San Paolo in Alpe starts in close connection with the forests. The ridge on which it stands was the route by road from Poggio Scali led to the hagia Sophia. Definitely not one of the most popular even in the ancient times, but is well-known because it was the border between the two provinces of the possessions of the’The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence: the forest Dogwood or Chestnut and the forest of Strabatenzoli and Radiracoli, today's forests, Campigna and Blade. These forest patches were obtained from the’Opera del Duomo gift from the Republic of Florence after this he had confiscated the feudal lords of the apennines as the guide and the Valbona, during the process of expansion to the Romagna, which sees Campigna go to’Work in 1380, followed by the forests of Ridracoli and Strabatenza in 1442.
It is not known whether a farmstead already existed on the plateau at that time or whether settlement had yet to return to the highlands after the early medieval period, when populations sought refuge in castles and fortified villages. By 1625, however, there is documented evidence of an oratory dedicated to Saint Paul standing on the plateau. Although the building was already in poor condition and belonged to the Abbeys of Sant'Ellero and Santa Maria in Cosmedin of Isola, Mass was still celebrated there once a month because of the strong devotion local people held for the site. Pilgrims travelled from distant places, attracted in particular by a well located on the summit that provided abundant fresh water throughout the year.
Religious services were conducted by an Augustinian friar. A small Augustinian hermitage stood on the plateau, within the territory of the parish of Ridracoli, and the friar had obtained permission to reside there permanently. In 1649, Pope Innocent X suppressed several minor religious orders, and their properties were reorganized. A simple church was subsequently established, and the first documented reference to the Church of Sant'Agostino in Alpe dates to 1705. The ruins of this building can still be seen today. Located on the same summit as the Church of San Paolo, it was inhabited by a small community of friars who supported themselves through their lands and charitable donations.
In 1716, Sant'Agostino became a parish church responsible for the inhabitants of the surrounding mountains. Its jurisdiction covered the more remote parts of the parish of Ridracoli, whose residents often lived too far from the village itself, as well as parts of the parish of Corniolo up to the main Apennine ridge. It is likely that, during this period, the properties once associated with the Church of San Paolo were transferred to the Church of Sant'Agostino.
By 1720, the sacred image of Saint Paul had been moved into a small chapel within the newer church because the original oratory had fallen into severe disrepair and had been granted to the Crisolini family for private use. During the same year, plans were made to enlarge the church, which had become too small for the parish's 203 inhabitants. The population increased to 220 by 1731, declined to 190 in 1746, and rose again to 229 by 1756. The small church dedicated to Saint Paul was rebuilt through popular initiative in both 1746 and 1776, although no visible traces of it remain on the plateau today.
Much less is currently known about the history of the Casone. The date of construction of its original core remains uncertain, but it is clear that the building underwent substantial expansion over the centuries, eventually becoming the large rural structure that still characterizes San Paolo in Alpe today.