If one of our accommodation in Bagni di Contursi in the direction of highway driving, builds directly in front of a spectacular Felsmassiv of the Monti Alburni on. Because of their unique shape is the mountain range also dolomiti Campan (Campania American Dolomites) and is referred to as the northern Italian counterpart rich limestone. Verkarstung natural erosion and provide a wealth of natural caves, it has about 400, including the longest in southern Italy, the Grotta di Civitavecchia and the angels Grotto (Grotta di Pertosa). And what can you with a terrified 8-year free on a superheißen Frühsommertag better organized, poorly dressed as a threat to a chilly 16 degrees cave hinabzusteigen? Correct: nothing!

So nothing like the car and the few kilometers (36) after Pertosa driven. The entrance to increased somewhat on the mountain south of Pertosa (the cave is well signposted) is under water and can only be reached by boat. It is so cozy place and is the first 300 meters comfortably on the "black river" (Fiume negro) through the cave nacelles - the temperature here has yet pleasantly refreshing compared to the 40 degrees outside and will only towards the end of the leadership in "brrr ... Cold "overturn. The brief tour through the approximately 35 million old cave takes about 1 hour, it is also a detailed tour possible, about 2 hours. The currently accessible part of the spectacular stalactite and stalagmite formations is approximately 2.5 km long - by a landslide but was by far the largest part of the cave impassable; if in the future of this part is exposed again, extends the walkable part of the cave by a further 8 km until village Polla. It is still not succeeded, the origin of the water of the Rio Negro to locate - corresponding experiments with phosphorescent materials led to no results. That work is currently in a unique light installation, with varying degrees of interlocking colors in the cave with a very exciting atmosphere provides. Below the photo gallery, I tried, the blue-lit Höhlensee once noted. But I can only note that the entire original still impressive hundred works.

Traces of human settlement can be traced back to back to the Stone Age, most recently served as a refuge in the cave during the air raids during World War II or the earthquake of 1980, in the Vallo Diano immense damage anrichtete but the cave was spared. A scene from Dario Argentos film "Il phantasm dell'Opera" has been in the cave dell'Angelo shot. This summer, the Grotta di Dante's Inferno Pertosa incidentally, that are visible in the photo gallery entrenched hands and feet are - how the light installation - to the stage decoration. They are made of plaster, but a real highlight in the cave tour dar. All in all, a beautiful stalactite cave and a nice alternative for an extremely hot day in Südkampanien. On the official website of the cave found under "photo tour" more beautiful photos.

Links:
Official website of the grotto dell'Angelo Pertosa
Brief description of the grotto in German
The Grotta di Pertosa to Wikipedia
Photos and description in Italian
Campania guide Salerno and Cilento (pdf)

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