Speleology in the Province of Salerno

Salerno and its surrounding

Speleology The Grottoes of Castelcivita

Situated near the area of the same name, these grottoes are the result of erosion processes of the River Calore that seeps into the bowels of the Monti Alburni. The grottoes have been explored and investigated as far back as 1925 by the TCI, and still today are the subject of scientific interest on the part of researchers from the Universities of Naples and Siena. They are 4800 km long and 52 m at their deepest point. Pre-historic findings attest the presence of people.

The grottoes are spectacular in their play of water on stone, their stalactites, their stalagmites, the small lakes, the sandy beaches. Enchanting haounts exceedingly popular among enthusiasts for their suggestion and charm.

 

The Grotto of Pertosa

The grotto is stuated in the area of Pertosa just where the Valley of Diano begins. This grotto, inhabited during the Neolithic and Aeneolithic Ages (as findings related to the lake dwelling testify), is also known as Grotta dell’Angelo or Grotta di San Michele, because in Medieval times it was used by monkes as a place of worship. The Grotto, extending for two and a half kilometres and made up of cascading water springs and rocky outlets, retains its immense fascination, and undoubtedly, considering the frequency of its visitors, even in Roman times, not to mention the conviction of the momks, still exhudes an aura of sacredness.