A good four meters of fir wood, half-closed eyes and a gaze turned towards the ground: it is called Flora and it is the work created by the sculptor Marco Martalar, who has been present for a few weeks along the Via Sacra of Monte Cavo, near Rocca di Papa. It is really difficult not to notice it.
View this post on Instagram
The sculpture is the first installation of the Museo Diffuso del Bosco, the project opened on 25 April in the wooded area of the Castelli Romani Regional Park. Not a museum in the traditional sense of the term (there are no rooms, ticket offices and not even the classic didactic plaques on the walls) because the itinerary develops outdoors, among the paths that connect the Via Sacra to the top of Monte Cavo, and the works dialogue with the trees, the light and the silence of the undergrowth.
The works of the route
Martalar is a Venetian artist from the Asiago Plateau, known for monumental sculptures made from reclaimed wood, often trees felled by the Vaia Storm of 2018. Flora, the first installation we will encounter, depicts a female figure observing the earth, symbol of the link between man and the natural environment: 4 meters high and 2 meters wide, a silent, statuesque and slightly melancholy presence that has already won the hearts of people on social media more.
Proceeding along the path we will find the Corten Silhouettes, a series of forest animals made of rusty steel by an artist who signs his works with a single letter. The subjects in question range from squirrels, dormice, martens, vipers, owls and peregrine falcons, creatures camouflaged among the trunks, almost impossible to distinguish at first sight.
Then there is La Testa tra le Piante, a human face immersed in greenery that recalls the theme of psychophysical well-being linked to nature.
Followed by the Gardens of Wonders by Gianlorenzo Palazzi (pseudonym of Gemma Palazzi) which depict magnificent imaginary gardens. Palazzi’s works inhabit a different area compared to the rest of the itinerary, with abstract female figures as protagonists who project a future in which the planet becomes a place of peace, devoid of any negative element, without dangers, in which nature and serenity are the main actors. A utopia carved in wood that looks to the future with confidence and hope.
In closing, the forest binoculars, large wooden binoculars oriented towards the landscape, an invitation to enjoy the view (the installation is located in one of the most panoramic points of the route), to stop and really look, at least for once.
Five installations in total, on a route that can be traveled on foot or by e-bike.
Practical information
The Museo Diffuso del Bosco is open for free every day, from 25 April to 25 October 2026. The gastronomic area of the Baita di Monte Cavo, where it is possible to taste traditional dishes from the Castelli Romani, is open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 9am to 6.30pm.
View this post on Instagram
The reference site is experiencepark.it, where you will find route maps and information for booking guided trekking and e-bike rental activities.
