Campo Imperatore

The Campo Imperatore, which translates into the «Emperor’s Field», is a vast alpine meadow on a high plateau of approximately 75 square kilometres located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, Abruzzo, Italy. It is often referred to as «Little Tibet» and is a notable cinematographic location because of its unique character. The abandoned Hotel Campo Imperatore is famous for having once served as a prison for Benito Mussolini for a short period during World War II. In the 1930s, after the first cableway was built, the plateau became a popular skiing resort. A branch of the Rome Observatory, the Stazione Osservativa di Campo Imperatore, was founded in 1965 and is located in the westernmost part of the plateau. The national park is also famous for its wildlife, particularly for its semi-wild horses which roam the plateau.