Pruno is a forest 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 ...

region of southern Italy. It is the largest woodlands of central

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 ...

region. The hamlets (''

frazioni A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Fascist era (1922–1943) as ...

'') with this name are situated in the municipalities of

Laurino Laurino is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of southwestern Italy. Geography Laurino is a typical medieval hill town of the Cilento, the southernmost part of Campania. It dominates the surrounding landscap ...

Valle dell'Angelo Valle dell'Angelo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. The name translates as "Valley of the Angel" and the comune contains La Grotta dell'Angelo (the Cave of the Angel). The cave sa ...

and

Piaggine Piaggine, also called “Chiaine“ in the local dialect, is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, in the south-west of Italy. The town is located on the river Calore, 93 miles (150 km) south-east of Nap ...

, and are considered a singular village. Pruno represents one of the most unpolluted natural areas of Campania and one of the lesser inhabited territories of

Southern Italy Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion of the Italian Republic consisting of its southern half. The term ''Mezzogiorno'' today refers to regions that are associated with the peop ...

. It is protected within the

Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park (Italian language, Italian ''Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni'') is an List of National Parks of Italy, Italian national park in the Province of Salerno, in Campania in souther ...

, and is part of the Cilento

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

History

The area of Pruno has been inhabited for centuries by farmers. It had two periods of emigration during the end of 19th century and the second half of 20th.

Geography

Pruno is situated in south of 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 ...

, in the

. The forest is located between Mount Gelbison and Mount Cervati mounts, at elevations between

above mean sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

. The area is extended not only in the ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

s'' of Valle dell'Angelo, Laurino and Piaggine; but also in

Cannalonga Cannalonga is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Salerno, Campania, southern Italy. History The town was founded between the 9th/10th century AD. It became well known in the region around 1450, when the tradition of the festival called ' ...

Campora Campora is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno, Campania (southern Italy). It is located in the territory of Cilento and as of 2009 its population was 810.Rofrano Rofrano ( Cilentan: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy. It is located in the southern Cilento. In 2015 its population was 1,539. History The village was first settled between 3rd and ...

, Sanza,

Novi Velia Novi Velia is a town and ''comune'' of the Province of Salerno, Campania, southern Italy. It is located in the southern Cilento area. The town takes its name from the ancient Greek town of Velia, whose archaeological remains are located nearby. ...

and

Monte San Giacomo Monte San Giacomo is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. Geography The municipality borders with Piaggine, Sanza, Sassano and Teggiano. See also * Pruno Cilento * Cilento *Vallo di Di ...

; and is surrounded by other forest areas. The mountains of the areas are Vesalo, Monaco, Faiatella, Scanno del Tesoro, Raia del Pedale, and Tuzzi di Monte Piano. There are also the springs of

Calore River The Calore Irpino or Calore Beneventano or Calore river is a river in southwestern Italy. It rises from ''Colle Finestra'' ( above sea level), a mountain saddle between Monte Acellica and the Terminio sub-group in the Monti Picentini, sub-range o ...

, and some caves with prehistoric

rock art In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also ...

. The middle of the forest is known as ''Croce di Pruno'' (Cross of Pruno), a crossroad between the provincial road Piaggine-Rofrano (one of two completely covered with

asphalt Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...

) and some trails, as the ''Inghiottitoio'' (Swallow), to Laurino / Campora (also covered with asphalt), and others to

and

San Menale Rofrano ( Cilentan: ) is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy. It is located in the southern Cilento. In 2015 its population was 1,539. History The village was first settled between 3rd and ...

. Major

plain In geography, a plain is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and as plateaus or uplands ...

s are the ''Piana'' of Roti and Campolongo.

Villages of Pruno

Population in the three rural villages of Pruno amounts almost in 40 inhabitants. It could be considered as a singular scattered village divided into 3 parts, for its common history and also due to a legislative singularity for Italian municipal law. The villages of Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo and Pruno di Piaggine are situated in the municipal territory of Laurino, but these hamlets are not

exclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

s of their municipality. However their inhabitants have the citizenship of Valle and Piaggine, and ownership of their houses.

Pruno di Laurino

Pruno di Laurino (), locally named simply ''Pruno'', is situated along the Piaggine-Rofrano road, in south of the ''Croce di Pruno''. It is composed by an extended group of circa 15 scattered farmhouses and populated by 25 people. Nearby the village there is a canyon with some little caves (Grotte di Sant'Elena) and the village was interested by the phenomena of the Brigandage in the Two Sicilies in the first half of 19th century. It was in fact the headquarters for a band of brigands guided by

Giuseppe Tardio Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it. The feminine form of the name is Giuse ...

. It is the most populated side of Pruno and counts a rural school closed in 1960s and restored into 2000s as historical building. Its main road belongs to the municipality of Rofrano, consisting in a strip of territory. For this reason the village is sometimes also named ''Pruno di Rofrano''.

Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo

Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo (), locally named ''Pruno Casalettaro'', is a rural village, one of the last in Europe. It is located in a detour of Piaggine-Rofrano road, on a trail to

and close to the canyon of Quarantana river. It is composed of circa 8 farmhouses and populated by 12–15 ancient people, with a rhythm of life similar to the one of 19th century, where electrical energy was fasted only in 1992. The community, dedicated to

animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...

and agriculture, is ''de facto'' autonomous and the village is indicated as a point of touristic interest.

Pruno di Piaggine

Pruno di Piaggine (), locally named ''Pruno Chiainaro'', is the smallest of the three villages. It is situated on a trial from Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo to Rofrano via

, below the trial to Cannalonga and nearby the canyon of Quarantana. It is composed by some scattered

farmhouse FarmHouse (FH) is a social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 33 active chapters and four associate ch ...

s and the population amounts of 10 inhabitants circa. A few km west it is the municipal border of

, below the area of

Gelbison Gelbison were an Australian pop rock band formed in 2000 by Pete Farley on bass guitar, Dave Galafassi on drums, Edo Kahn on vocals and guitar, and his brother Nadav Kahn on vocals and keyboards. The Kahn brothers were also members of Nations ...

mountain.

Gallery

File:Pruno (di Valle dell'Angelo, view).jpg, File:Pruno (di Piaggine, view).jpg, File:PRUNO (Laurinese).JPG, File:PRUNO (Vallese).JPG, File:PRUNO (Piagginese).JPG, File:PRUNO (Croce).JPG, File:PRUNO (Tramonto).JPG, File:PRUNO (Vesalo).JPG, File:PRUNO (Roti-1).JPG, File:PRUNO (Bosco).JPG,

References

External links

Ecotourism in Valle dell'Angelo and Pruno

Ecotourism in Laurino and Pruno

Photos and info about Pruno

Comune of Valle dell'Angelo

Comune of Laurino

Comune of Piaggine

History & Genealogy
{{authority control Cilento Frazioni of the Province of Salerno Localities of Cilento