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Cascata delle Marmore. Picture By Sailko.

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Cascata delle Marmore

The Cascata delle Marmore, also known as the Marmore Falls, is a man-made waterfall built by the ancient Romans. Its total height is 165 m (541 feet), making it the world’s tallest man-made waterfall. It is 7.7 kilometers from Terni, the provincial capital of the Italian region Umbria.

Its source is a portion of the Velino River (the rest of the river flows into a hydroelectric power plant), after passing through Piediluco Lake near Marmore (Italian). It flows into the valley formed by the river Nera below.

Its flow is turned on and off on a predetermined schedule to meet the needs of both tourists and the power company. Tourists rush to get there as soon as the gates open.

The article will focus on some of the fascinating facts about Cascata delle Marmore;

1. Cascata is the  highest waterfall in Europe

The highest Waterfall in Europe. Picture By CAPTAIN RAJU

The Cascata delle Marmore is Europe’s highest waterfall, standing 165 meters tall. But that isn’t all.

They also hold the world record for the highest artificial falls (a record disputed by the artificial waterfall of Lieben, in China). The Marmore Waterfalls have an 85-meter drop with an average flow rate of 15 m3/s of water.

Every year, it also attracts a record-breaking number of (paying) visitors: approximately 500,000.

2. The surrounding National park makes the Cascata enjoyable

The Natural Park that surrounds the Cascata della Marmore allows visitors to explore various footpaths that connect the upper and lower viewpoints.

Head to the Balcone degli Innamorati, or Lovers’ Balcony, a small ledge in the rockface located just behind the waters of the cascade itself, for a breathtakingly beautiful view (advanced booking is required to visit).

A variety of outdoor sports and activities, such as rafting or hiking along the Umbrian Section of the most beautiful villages in Italy route, can be enjoyed in the surrounding area.

To avoid missing anything along the way, we recommend that you explore the tips and guides available on the Waidy WOW App.

3. There is a romantic legend behind the Marmore Falls

According to an ancient Umbrian folk legend, Nera was a nymph, and Velino was the beautiful shepherd with whom she fell madly in love.

Juno was so enraged and envious of this forbidden love that she turned Nera into a river. Velino threw himself from the Marmore cliff into the waters of the river below, desperate to be with his beloved.

Jupiter was moved by this sacrifice and wanted to help Velino, transforming him into the water in the process. That leap is thus repeated indefinitely in the form of the Marmore waterfalls.

4. The surrounding Natural Park boasts incredible landscapes

The waterfall landscapes. Picture courtesy of Costaetrusca.

The Cascata delle Marmore is found just 7 km from Terni, in Umbria. This little slice of paradise will take you unawares, rising unexpectedly almost from the side of the Valnerina state road number 209.

The surrounding Natural Park boasts incredible landscapes, viewpoints overlooking the waterfall, and delightful footpaths.

The falls themselves lie at the end of the Valnerina, the valley carved out by the Nera river, and are formed by the waters of the Velino river that flow from the nearby Piediluco lake into the Nera gorges.

5. Cascata has its name from calcium carbonate deposits

The Cascata delle Marmore take their name from the Italian word for marble, ‘Marmo’. They are in fact three falls in total, whose name refers to the calcium carbonate deposits which accumulate on the surrounding rocks, making them appear very similar to – you guessed it – white marble! Indeed, since ancient times the prestigious stone has given its name not only to the waterfall but also to a small area near Terni, called Marmore.

6. The Cascata delle Marmore is the source of Hydro-electricity

The Cascata’s sheer height and volume make the water fast-flowing and an ideal source of hydroelectricity. Back in the late 1800s, the Terni steel factories used the cascade to power their engines.

Much of the water is now diverted through a hydroelectric plant to generate electricity for the surrounding area. But don’t worry, water still flows over the falls, giving you an idea of the Romans’ engineering prowess.

And if you want to see the waterfall at full force, you’re in luck because the cascade is fed twice a day. Especially for visitors, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

7. Cascata is a tourist attraction site

Tourists surfing in Cascata delle Marmore. Picture By Ahref.

There are also guided tours available, which can be booked by phone or email (details in the Useful Information section below).

There’s even a tour for kids that tells them all about the annoying pixie, Renfro, who lives in the woods around the waterfall. Excellent entertainment! While swimming in the Marmore Falls is now prohibited, you can still experience its power and potency firsthand.

Simply hop in one of the inflatable rafts for hire at the bottom and let the rapids propel you downriver like a cork. Adrenaline junkies can also kayak, canoe, or canyon the lower reaches of the mighty River Nera.

8. Pope Gregory XII ordered the construction of a new canal to restore the original flow

Pope Gregory XII. Photo Courtesy of Girolamo Muziano.

The lack of maintenance in the canal caused a decrease in flow, eventually causing the wetland to reappear. Pope Gregory XII ordered the construction of a new canal in 1422 in order to restore the original flow.

Following two centuries, the canal’s presence posed a problem for the countryside in the valley below, as the Nera frequently flooded it. Pope Pius VI directed architect Andrea Vici to modify the leaps below the falls in 1787, giving the falls their current appearance and finally resolving the majority of the problems.

Terni’s newly formed steel mills began using the water flow in the Curiano Trench to power their operation in 1896. Engineers began using the flow of water to generate electricity in the years that followed.

9. The Romans built Cascata delle Marmore to control disease-bearing insects

During ancient times, the Velino river passed through a wetland in the Rieti Valley where stagnant water was the perfect breeding ground for insects.

These insects helped magnify the spread of illnesses like malaria, so in 271 BC the local Roman consul spearheaded a construction effort to build a canal that would divert the waters to the dry cliffs at Marmore where the water flowed into the Nera river below.

10. The falls are turned on at different times throughout the day

Much of the time, the flow of water in the canals is sent to the local Galleto power plant to fuel their production of clean energy. During these moments, the flow of water almost comes to a complete standstill. 

The falls are literally turned on at different times throughout the day. The process begins with the sounding of an alarm and the opening of gates, transforming the slow peaceful stream of water into a speeding flow of 15 cubic meters of water per second, and bringing Marmore Falls into her full glory.