Sasso Spaccato

Useful Information

Location:	63095, Acquasanta Terme AP. From Acquasanta Terme SP-207 towards Ascoli Bigeno, turn left on SP-119 to Tallacano. (42.7964021, 13.3806087)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Gorge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	L=150 m, W=4 m, H=8 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Associazione Turistica Pro Acquasanta Terme, P.za Terme, 63095 Acquasanta Terme AP, Tel: +39-333-905-3915.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1569	church of San Pietro Apostolo erected.

Description

The Sasso Spaccato (Rock Split) is a really strange gorge, as it lacks the most important thing any gorge needs: a river. It looks like a straight crack in the rock, parallel walls about 4 m apart and 150 m long. It is also known as Canyon della Tassinara or simply Tassinara. The walls consist of a rock which the locals call tufa, a limestone deposited by mineral rich, probably thermal springs. The straightness makes it unlikely that the structure is or erosional origin, more likely its of tectonic origin. The area is prone to earthquakes, many hamlets were abandoned in the 1950 for this reason. Since the 2016 earthquake nearby Tallacano is a red zone.

The strange location was obvious to the locals, although the knew nothing about geology. So they invented a lot of legends about the place. One tells that this place was used by rich families to hide their belongings. One says that it was used to bury the huge number of victims of diseases. Names and small crosses are engraved on the rock walls, as legend says for the dead caused by a cholera epidemic at the end of the 19th century, which were buried in the canyon. The origin of the name Tassinara is unknown, but there is the theory that it originates from the medieval Latin term “taxa” and the Greek “mètron”. Like the modern term taximeter, it means to measure the fee or tax. The guess is that the place once was a customs point where travellers had to pay their fees.

The site is reached on a hike from Tallacano, at the entrance to the village turn left on single lane gravel road towards Poggio Di Rocchetta. After 750 m there is a hiking trail on the left uphill 1.2 km to Chiesa di San Pietro. Follow the trail ahead for 500 m. The elevation gain is 250 m, the hike takes about 45 minutes one way.