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Emilia Romagna

THE 100 BRANCHES OAK

DOWNY OAK

(Quercus pubescens Willd.)

Circumference: 211 inches

Height: 75 feet

Estimated age: 300 years

Emilia-Romagna - Town hall: Scandiano (RE), location: Monte di Sopra, via Bottegaro (via Ca’ De Rossi)

1115 feet above sea level

A formidable and beautiful oak overlooking the hills and the valley of Reggio Emilia from the top of a knoll, just a few kilometres from Scandiano. The tree is known in the area and it is a popular hiking destination among tourists and holidaymakers, usually reached during the weekends, either on foot or by riding. The tree is composed of a robust columnar trunk and a large rounded crown, whose maximum diameter reaches 98 feet. The strong point of this great patriarch is its aesthetic and its dimensions, the feeling of majesty that arouses in those who observe it, symbol of the power and supremacy which the Celts used to attribute to the specie. These characteristics lead us to claim that this patriarch can be considered to be the most beautiful oak in Emilia-Romagna. The tree can be easily reached from Scandiano, by travelling along the main road to Viano and Carpineti. Once reached Rondinara you should turn left and take the main road 75 (to Telarolo). After 1,5 kilometres you will find Bottegaro street on the left and at the end of it you will notice a farm hosting the great oak, that you can reach with just a few yards’ walk.