There are many places to discover in Calabria, among the most beautiful and touristically attractive regions of Italy. You may not know that there is a unique example of a monolith known as Pietra Cooker hood. It is located in the municipality of San Luca, in province of Reggio Calabria and is 140 meters high, boasting an area of about 4 hectares. A true symbol of what is known as the Valley of the Great Stones, recognized as the tallest monolith in Europe.
Pietra Cappa: history
There are several legends that revolve around the gigantic monolith. Stories both religious and pagan. On the Christian front, it is told of how Jesus would have gone with his disciples to what is now the Valley of the Great Stones. He asked his followers to collect boulders as a sign of penance. Peter chose not to tire and so he barely picked up a pebble. It was then that the Messiah turned the large stones into steaming loaves, leaving the crafty disciple with little to eat. That small stone was left there as a sign of his error and Christ, touching it, made it take its present size.
Stories aside, the fascination of this place is indisputable. You find yourself surrounded by dense vegetation, characterized by heather, mastic, myrtle, strawberry tree, chestnut, holm oak, mint and oregano. A dream panorama that frames the monolith, which overlooks the Ionian sea. As if all this were not enough to give an idea of the beauty of the place, you can also admire the centuries-old chestnut trees known as Giants of San Giorgio. No sign of human passage or almost. Only the Byzantine columns and walls of what remains of the Church of San Giorgio located on the path are found.
Calabria is beautiful!