What to see in Pertosa, an itinerary including the main places of interest, including the Grotte dell’Angelo, the Cascata di Maremanico and the ruins of the ancient mill.
Tourist information
Small town in Campania in the province of Salerno, Pertosa is located in the valley of the Tanagro river, close to the Alburni and Valdiano mountains, near the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park.
The origin of the name Pertosa is to be found in the archaic dialectal term "petrusu", which means opening, with reference to the Angel's Caves.
Following archaeological excavations carried out in the area, various ruins have been found, including houses, temples, tools and objects that can testify to the existence of a very ancient inhabited center.
To protect themselves from the incursions of the Saracens, the locals found refuge in a place located a short distance away, where the initial part of Pertosa arose.
The Benedictine monks, with the construction of their monastery and the Church of Santa Maria, gave a strong impulse to the subsequent expansion of the town.
Over time, Pertosa has become a popular tourist center, thanks above all to the presence of the beautiful Angel Caves, also called Pertosa Auletta Caves, which are among the most beautiful in southern Italy.
Crossed by an underground river, the caves date back 35 million years.
What see
The discovery of finds inside the caves shows that they were inhabited in prehistoric times, there are the wooden remains of the ancient stilt houses, which have remained intact over time thanks to the environmental humidity.
Subsequently the caves were used by the Greeks and Romans as a place of worship.
To access the caves, you need to get on a boat, moving on the waters of the underground river until you reach the point where the various pedestrian paths begin.
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Through various tunnels and galleries you can reach large rooms, including the Hall of Wonders, the Great Room, the Sponge Room and the Bat Room.
The De Marco square, which was built not far from the elementary school and the De Marco palace, represents the center of Pertosa, in the middle there is a fountain that recalls the Pertosa Caves.
The Maremanico waterfall was created with the opening of the Bad weather channel made by the Bourbons in the nineteenth century, which allowed the Tanagro to flow through the Campostrino gorge, creating the suggestive waterfall that forms a jump of ten meters.
The ruins of the ancient mill, which are located near the Maremanico waterfall, comprise only the two towers of the original plant.
