The split of the queen and the Etruscan cut

History and legend come together in this place.
Let your intuition guide you, you might find the treasure of Queen Ansedonia.

The Etruscan cut

At the foot of the Ansedonia hill, right where the black beach begins, there is a large rocky wall. At its base are the remains of a Roman hydraulic system built to prevent the silting up of the ancient port: a unique work of its kind!

Canals literally "cut" in the perfectly polished rock.
Go up the stairs carved on the rocks. The first section has been made safe and is perfectly accessible, continuing, at your own risk (do not bring the children) you will find yourself right above the Tagliata and you can admire from above the sea that is channeled, getting lost in underground caves. To the right of where the barrier ends other stairs will lead you over the hill, amidst the numerous private villas. The climb is worthwhile for the landscape that can be enjoyed from above the long black beach below.

If the ancient port has intrigued you and you want to know more, in the museum of Ansedonia, inside the archaeological park of the city of Cosa, you will find the faithful reconstruction.

beach spacco della regina

The Queen's Split - "Spacco della Regina"

But the peculiarity of this place is above all another. Looking at the rock face, below on the right, you will find a crack in the rock: the queen's split.

Unfortunately, the bridge on the Tagliata is no longer there, so getting there has become difficult, but not impossible. At the moment there is a ford of luck (in the sense that it takes luck not to end up in the water!) With logs and wooden boards. I hope, soon, to rebuild a solid bridge as there was before.

If you managed to get to the entrance of the queen's split, arm yourself with torch and comfortable shoes. At the beginning it is a dark tunnel.

Entering it, after a few meters, you will find a slit that lets in a little light from the outside. After another dark and winding tunnel a cave opens with a gash open upwards, illuminated by daylight. The best time to visit is around noon, when the sun at its peak manages to create suggestive atmospheres.

The legend of Queen Ansedonia

Probably the "Spacco della Regina" (Queen's split) is simply a stretch of Tagliata caved in, but its peculiarity has meant that many legends revolved around this place.

It is said to be the secret place where the Etruscan queen Ansedonia loved to bathe, away from prying eyes. Place from where, it seems, he never returned.

Perhaps a temple for religious rites, magic, even a place of human sacrifice.

Another legend has it that the queen, kidnapped by Turkish pirates, managed to escape finding refuge here.

They all agree on one thing: this is the place where the queen hid her "treasure", never found.

hiking-fen-sup-adventure-gap-Queen

La Tagliata beach

Back outside to the most "aquatic", I recommend a swim along the rocks to discover the caves under the Tagliata. The others can instead take a bath in the transparent sea from the black beach. The ferrous granules make the sand very heavy, which is why the water here is always clear even on the shore. The only downside to the black beach is that on summer days it becomes "hot", impossible to walk on it with bare feet!

La Tagliata beach

For a sporting experience suitable for everyone and different from the usual @maremmasupavventura organizes sup excursions to visit the caves around the split of the queen and the Etruscan cut. For info you can find them on the website www.maremmasupavventuraenonsolo.it, on Instagram and Facebook (@maremmasupavventura) or for whatsapp at +393479694887

How to get

The easiest and fastest way to reach the Tagliata is from the Aurelia road: at the second exit of Ansedonia if you come from Orbetello or the first if you arrive from Capalbio.

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Post Author: Marilena

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