Central Apennines

The central Apennines rise above the Adriatic slopes of Abruzzo, where the great limestone mass of the Maiella overlooks valleys running towards the sea. High ridges divide the inland basins from the coastal hills, and snow lies on the summits in winter. The earthquake of 1706 shook communities on both sides of the Maiella, a reminder that the mountains are as changeable beneath the ground as they appear enduring above it.