The top of the hill of Monte Mario was until the end of the 19th
century, the symbolic location of Italy's Prime Meridian. That was
the reference point for all other locations in Italy, until when by
international conference, the meridian of Greenwich was used.
The magazine The Studium Urbis recently published an article
describing the Monte Mario
Prime Meridian.
Cache is located on the slopes of Monte Mario, in a public park
called Villa Mellini. The slopes face down to Via Teulada, the
historic headquarters of Italy's state-owned television
broadcasting network.
Entrance to the park are two:
(1) 41 55.304N 12 26.979E. This entrance to Villa Mellini, is
already almost on top of the hill, on the paved road leading to the
Cafe Bar Lo Zodiaco. Unfortunately there are few public
transportation connections to this area.
(2) 41 55.435N 12 27.399E. This is the entrance to the adjacent
park Villa Mazzanti, which connects to Villa Mellini on top of the
hill. This location, on Piazzale Maresciallo Giardino where it
intersects Via Gomenizza, is served by many public transporation
buses. But it is at the bottom of the hill, and you'll have to walk
up the switchback trail leading up to the upper points of the
park.
The cache is a plastic food container. It is located on a very
steep slope about 40 meters from a panoramic viewpoint and trail.
DO NOT walk down the steep slope. It is steep and dangerous.
The way to get to the cache is to walk on a trail leading to a pine
grove (see photo of trailhead and the reccomended approach on
aerial image, trail head waypoint: 41.9225 12.4510), and from
there, follow a erosion-prevention ditch lined with large bricks
and walk through some very thick mediterranean brush and
plants.
The container has been at that location for some time, and its
location and find has been sucessfully beta-tested by
Nathan & Josh on 03 April 2007, and by Pennino &
Hullbiner on 29 April 2007 (both signed the log).
Other destinations of interest in this area:
On top of the hill lies an interesting museum, open from 5 to 8
PM on saturdays, the Museo
Astronomico Copernicano.
The Monte Mario hill (or what is left of it being publicly
accessible it, being not within a military zone or private land),
is a nature reserve, quite remarkable given that it is so inside
this city: Riserva
Naturale di Monte Mario.
The cafe/bar Lo Zodiaco, at the end of the paved road Via
di Villa Mellini. It is located right next to the astronomical
observatory on top of the hill. Great views, great ice cream.
References:
A detailed and fascinating history in the use of geodetic points
and references in the city: Roma
Geodedica.
An online exhibition about the use of meridians in Rome:
Meridians.
