The Pertosa Caves ( it, Grotte di Pertosa), co-officially named Pertosa-Auletta Caves ( it, Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta) since 2012, are a
karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
show cave
A show cave—also called tourist cave, public cave, and, in the United States, commercial cave—is a cave which has been made accessible to the public for guided visits.
Definition
A show cave is a cave that has been made accessible to ...
system located in the municipality of
Pertosa
Pertosa is a village and ''comune'' of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy. In 2010 its population was 714.
History
Geography
The village is situated in the eastern side of the province of Salerno, close to the mu ...
, 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 ...
,
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 ...
, Italy.
Overview
The caves, also named Grotte dell'Angelo as many Italian voids in honour of
St. Michael, are extended also into the territories of
Auletta
Auletta is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy.
History
According to a legend retold by historian Giovan Battista Pacichelli, the name of Auletta would stem from Auleto, one of Aene ...
and
Polla.
They are situated by the eastern side of
Alburni
The Alburni are an Italian mountain range of the Province of Salerno, Campania, part of the Apennines. Due to their geomorphology, they are popularly known as the "''Dolomites of Campania''" or of Southern Italy. The highest mountain is the Pa ...
mountains, in the locality of Muraglione, in south of Pertosa and close to its
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
. Due to the presence of
Tanagro
The Tanagro (''Tanàgro'') or Negro is a river of the Province of Salerno, southwestern Italy. It rises in the Vallo di Diano and is a tributary of the Sele River. In ancient times it was known as ''Tanager''.
Overview
From the origin to the mouth ...
river the caves are rich of water and, after the main entrance, there is an
underground lake
An underground lake or subterranean lake is a lake underneath the surface of the Earth. Most naturally occurring underground lakes are found in areas of Karst topography, where limestone or other soluble rock has been weathered away, leaving a cav ...
.
Cinema
The caves were the set of some scenes of 1998 Italian
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
''
The Phantom of the Opera
''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...
'',
Info on www.eofftv.com
(see: Locations) directed by Dario Argento
Dario Argento (; born 7 September 1940) is an Italian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and film critic, critic. His influential work in the horror film, horror genre during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the subgenre known as ...
.
See also
*Castelcivita Caves
The Castelcivita Caves (Italian: ''Grotte di Castelcivita'') are a karst cave system located in the municipality of Castelcivita (and partially in Controne), in the province of Salerno, Campania, southern Italy.
Overview
Their second name, "Spar ...
*List of caves
This is a list of caves of the world that have articles or that are properly cited. They are sorted by continent and then country. Caves which are in overseas territories on a different continent than the home country are sorted by the territory' ...
*List of caves in Italy
The following article shows a list of caves in Italy.
Overview
Main concentration of Italian caves ( it, grotte, singular: ''grotta'') is close to the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, principally due to karst.
The main Italian tourist caves a ...
References
External links
Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta official site
{{Archaeological sites in Campania
Caves of Campania
Pertosa
Pertosa is a village and ''comune'' of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy. In 2010 its population was 714.
History
Geography
The village is situated in the eastern side of the province of Salerno, close to the mu ...
Pertosa
Pertosa is a village and ''comune'' of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy. In 2010 its population was 714.
History
Geography
The village is situated in the eastern side of the province of Salerno, close to the mu ...
Cilento
Tourist attractions in Campania
Archaeological sites in Campania