The ancient Roman aqueduct of the Uccole, besides being an archaeological site of inestimable value, is one of the most important hydraulic works in Abruzzo. The system built more than two thousand years ago is located in the San Venanzio Gorges Nature Reserve in Raiano, in the province of L’Aquila. The ancient aqueduct consists of a long series of tunnels that branch through the rock for about five kilometers. The work was dug two thousand years ago to allow irrigation of the fields throughout the Raiano plain. Along the route are 136 small wells, called “uccole,” from which it is still possible to access to descend into the canal. The main shaft is no more than 80 centimeters wide and between 1.5 and 1.8 meters high.
The Aqueduct of the Birds is set amidst nature, breathtaking views and small streams. The small service road that runs alongside the aqueduct is one of the oldest crossings between the Peligna and Subequana Valleys with a path suitable for trekking. According to tradition, Pietro da Morrone, the future Celestine V, would have passed through here in 1294, followed by a procession that would take him to L’Aquila for the papal coronation. The place has often been the focus of legendary tales, which have no basis in truth but testify to the symbolic importance of the canal for local people in the past. The place has been renamed via delle “ùcchele” in dialect, the name derived from the manholes used to inspect the aqueduct and control the water load.
BIRD CHANNEL | TRAVEL PILLS – subscribe to youtube channel –
Hiking info
Cultured lands of Abruzzo
How to get to the Bird Channel
A25 Pratola Peligna – Sulmona Exit
