The Bussento is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

in southwestern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. Originating from

Cervati Cervati is an Italian mountain of the Province of Salerno, Campania. Geography The mountain is located in the north-western side of the municipality of Sanza, close to the forest area of Pruno. It is the source of the river Bussento. With 1,8 ...

mountain, it flows in the

Campania Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...

n territory of

Cilento Cilento is an Italian geographical region of Campania in the central and southern part of the Province of Salerno and an important Tourism, tourist area of southern Italy. Cilento is known as one of the centers of Mediterranean diet. Geograph ...

, in the

Province of Salerno The Province of Salerno ( it, Provincia di Salerno) is a province in the Campania region of Italy. __TOC__ Geography The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 131,950; Cava de' Tirreni, Battipagli ...

. Its mouth is by the

Tyrrhenian Sea The Tyrrhenian Sea (; it, Mar Tirreno , french: Mer Tyrrhénienne , sc, Mare Tirrenu, co, Mari Tirrenu, scn, Mari Tirrenu, nap, Mare Tirreno) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is named for the Tyrrhenian pe ...

, nearby

Policastro Bussentino Policastro Bussentino (or simply Policastro) is an Italian town and hamlet (''frazione'') of the municipality of Santa Marina (of which it is its seat) in the province of Salerno, Campania region. It is a former bishopric, now titular see, and ...

Geography

After its origin in

, it flows south of Sanza, crosses Sant'Eliano, nearby the artificial

Lake Sabetta A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

(fed by the river), and

Caselle in Pittari Caselle in Pittari is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is l ...

. After Caselle, it flows under the Pannello mountain, and emerges in

Morigerati Morigerati ( Cilentan: ''Murgirati'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. History The village was probably founded by the ancient Italic people of the Morgetes. It was later coloniz ...

, next to its municipal borders with

Tortorella Tortorella is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Salerno, Campania, in south-western Italy. Geography Located in southern Cilento, 11 km far from the Cilentan Coast, Tortorella is a hill town located in the middle of a large forest ar ...

. After it, the Bussento marks Morigerati's border with Santa Marina, flows south of

Sicilì Sicilì is a southern Italian village and hamlet (''frazione'') of Morigerati, a municipality in the province of Salerno, Campania. As of 2011, it had a population of 364. History The village was first mentioned in 1521, however, the origins of ...

, crosses the municipal borders of

Torre Orsaia Torre Orsaia (Cilentan dialect, Cilentan: ''La Turri'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. History The settlement, originally named ''Turris Ursajae'', was founded in the 11th century ...

until its railway station in Calleo and, after, it flows near the localities of Hangar, Santa Lucia and Crocefisso. Its mouth, on the

Gulf of Policastro A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay (geography), bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented ...

, by the

, is 700 m west of

, near Torre Oliva, and 2.4 km east of

Scario Scario is an Italian village and hamlet (''frazione''), the largest of the municipality of San Giovanni a Piro in the province of Salerno, Campania region. In 2011, it had a population of 1,124. Geography The village is situated in the western c ...

. The main tributary of Bussento is the

Bussentino The Bussento is a river in southwestern Italy. Originating from Cervati mountain, it flows in the Campanian territory of Cilento, in the Province of Salerno. Its mouth is by the Tyrrhenian Sea, nearby Policastro Bussentino. Geography After its ...

, a creek that flows through

Casaletto Spartano Casaletto Spartano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. History The town has medieval origins and originated around the settlement of ''Spartoso'', from which it derives the toponym, c ...

, Battaglia,

, and joins the river in Morigerati, near the

Bussento Caves The Bussento is a river in southwestern Italy. Originating from Cervati mountain, it flows in the Campanian territory of Cilento, in the Province of Salerno. Its mouth is by the Tyrrhenian Sea, nearby Policastro Bussentino. Geography After its ...

Natural environment

The Caves of Bussento, located in

, are a WWF Oasis. It is a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

that includes gorges and

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

s along the river.WWF Oasis of Bussento on Morigerati website
/ref>

Gallery

References

External links

{{commons category-inline, Bussento Rivers of the Province of Salerno Cilento Subterranean rivers Rivers of Italy Drainage basins of the Tyrrhenian Sea