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All Italy Isola del Liri Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri

Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri

Italy's only urban waterfall has enchanted artists and travelers for centuries.

Isola del Liri, Italy

Added By
Jan Claus Di Blasio
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Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri   simonturkas
Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri   simonturkas
Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri   Harlock81
Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri   simonturkas
  Lana Velkov / Atlas Obscura User
  Lana Velkov / Atlas Obscura User
  AleIovi / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Celebrated in paintings by Jacob Philipp Hackert in 1777 and by Bidault in 1790 (a painting currently on display at Paris' Louvre Museum), the Cascata Grande defines the urban plan of the small town of Isola Liri. The town is just one hour east of Rome in the historical region of Ciociaria.

The Liri river splits in two and drops 88 feet (27 meters) from the travertine cliff, which is dominated by the picturesque Boncompagni-Viscogliosi castle. This forms the main waterfall, known as Cascata Grande, the Great Waterfall. 

Today, this is a purely scenic location. However, during the late 16th-century, the residents of Isola Liri harnessed the river's energy and developed early industrial activities such as paper mills and wool manufacturers. During the 19th-century, hydroelectric plants developed using the power of the waterfalls. They were also very strategic to the kings of Naples.

To learn about the town's industrial history, visitors can walk from the main bridge overlooking the waterfall to the nearby park constructed around another waterfall.

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Waterfalls History & Culture Natural Wonders Nature Water
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Added By

LatiumMirabile

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Lana Velkov, AleIovi

  • Lana Velkov
  • AleIovi

Published

October 6, 2020

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Cascata Grande di Isola del Liri
1 Via Cascata
Isola del Liri, 03036
Italy
41.679973, 13.574703
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