Cascata delle Marmore

Cascata delle Marmore is an engineered waterfall near Terni in Umbria, Italy, created in antiquity to drain the Velino plateau into the Nera River. The falls descend in three distinct stages for a combined drop of roughly 165 metres.

Viewpoints and walking paths provide a range of perspectives, including the lower terrace (Belvedere Inferiore) and the upper terrace (Belvedere Superiore), which give different close and panoramic views of the cascade. The site is managed with regulated water releases to balance hydroelectric generation and sightseeing.

The falls date to Roman engineering works intended to control marshes and improve drainage of the Rieti plain; subsequent modifications have shaped the current stepped cascade and visitor infrastructure. The monument is set in a steep river gorge just outside the city of Terni in the Umbrian valley of the Nera River.

• Height and origin: the waterfall is man-made, created by Roman engineering to divert the Velino River into the Nera River, and has a total drop of about 165 metres in three stages.
• Flow schedule: water releases are regulated for hydroelectric use and tourism, with scheduled opening times when larger flows are allowed for viewing.

What to See #

• Belvedere Inferiore: a lower viewing terrace known as the Belvedere Inferiore that offers close-up views of the base of the falls and the river gorge.
• Belvedere Superiore: an upper viewing terrace called the Belvedere Superiore that overlooks the cascade and provides panoramic views of the three-stage drop.