Set up as a national park in 1993, this park is made up of 70,000 hectares of natural and architectonic beauty: the Vettore, Sibilla and Redentore summits offer magnificent views; the Castelluccio high plains, Fiastra and Pilato lakes and numerous valleys provide variety to the environment and favour an abundance of species; while the Aso, Tenna, Ambro and Nera rivers all have their origin in the Sibillini mountains. Rare plant and animal species are present in the park, including the alpine star of the Apennines and alpine anemone, and the marten, golden eagle, wolf, eagle-owl, peregrine falcon, dell’Orsini viper and the very rare ’chirocefalo del Marchesoni’, a small crustacean that lives only in Pilato lake.