{"id":2047,"date":"2025-06-26T10:31:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T08:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montecatinitermetourism.com\/maona-cave\/"},"modified":"2025-09-15T14:17:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T12:17:47","slug":"maona-cave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montecatinitermetourism.com\/en\/maona-cave\/","title":{"rendered":"Maona Cave"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A fascinating and little-known place opens up between the spa town and the medieval village: the Maona Cave, a millennia-old cavity in the limestone subsoil of the hillside.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

It was named after the ancient Maona family, active in the area between the 9th and 12th centuries, who owned land in this very area.<\/p>\n\n

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A discovery born of necessity<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

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In the 19th century, following land reclamation works promoted by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine, the area experienced a population growth that required new building material. During excavations in 1860, in search of quarry stone, the cave was discovered. Animal remains and artifacts traceable precisely to the Maona family were found inside. <\/p>\n\n

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A rare and fascinating ecosystem<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

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The cave maintains a constant temperature of 15 \u00b0C and is inhabited by a rare protected species of bats, a sign of the delicacy of its ecosystem. The natural environment has remained largely intact, making the visit an evocative experience that respects the original context. <\/p>\n\n

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Two wells for a journey underground<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

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What makes Grotta Maona unique is its particular conformation: the entrance is through a first shaft that leads the visitor into a cavity 20 meters deep and about 200 meters long. The path continues to a second shaft, which leads back to the light, symbolically closing a circle between the underground and the surface. <\/p>\n\n

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Vacation ideas<\/div>\n \n <\/div>
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Outdoor Montecatini: between relax and discovery<\/h3>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
The territory of Montecatino lends itself magnificently to exploration: panoramic paths wind through centuries-old olive groves and lush vineyards, offering breathtaking views of the Valdinievole.<\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n<\/article>
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A journey among the historic Montecatini spas<\/h3>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
To stroll through Montecatini’s historic spas is to embark on a journey through time, where water becomes not only a source of well-being but also the inspiring muse of majestic architecture and refined decorations.<\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n<\/article>
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Great SPA towns of Europe: Montecatini Terme is a UNESCO world heritage site<\/h3>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
Since July 24, 2021, Montecatini Terme has officially become part of an extraordinary cultural project: the Great Spa Towns of Europe, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n<\/article> <\/div>\r\n <\/div> <\/div>\r\n \n
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A fascinating and little-known place opens up between the spa town and the medieval village: the Maona Cave, a millennia-old cavity in the limestone subsoil of the hillside.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[30],"class_list":["post-2047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cosa-vedere-en","tag-active-outdoor-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMaona Cave - Montecatini Terme<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tomontecatini.mapo.dev\/en\/maona-cave\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Maona Cave - 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