Karst caves - Toirano, Italy. Grotta Gigante: a giant cave in Italy the size of the Vatican Legends about caves in Italy

Blue Grotto, Capri

One of natural wonders peace. The grotto is called blue because the cave is illuminated by a bluish light reflecting from the sea waters. Today it is a popular attraction. The cave was known to the Romans. Roman buildings and statues were found in these places. The grotto has only one entrance from the sea, so getting into this The cave is accessible only by boat. The length of the cave is 56 meters and the width is 30 meters.

Grotto in Castro

The karst sea cave is protected. Limestone creates a unique eco-system in the cave.

Blue Grotto, Taormina

On the island of Belle, close to Taormina in Sicily, there is another blue grotto, very popular with local residents.But it is not yet as popular among tourists as the grotto in Capri.

Neptune's Grotto, Alghero

Discovered in the 18th century by local fishermen, Neptune's Grotto is part of a cave system that stretches for 4 km, including the underwater Nereo Cave, which is visited every year by thousands of scuba divers. Neptune's Grotto is an illuminated cave with stalactites, stalagmite formations and of course, the amazing sea.

Grotto dello Poetry, Roca Vecchia, Salento

Legend has it that a beautiful princess loved to swim in the waters of the cave. Her beauty was so brilliant that her fame spread throughout Puglia. Hearing about this, legions of poets from all over southern Italy rushed to those places. They gathered here to write poems inspired by its beauty. The large karst cave behind the cliff in Roca is a place of inspiration.

Blue Grotto Marino, Cala Gonone, Sardinia

This place is very popular among tourists due to its accessibility and vastness. blue water everywhere. You can walk along the constructed bridges from hall to hall, enjoying the cool air and water.

Sea caves of Cape Gargano, Puglia

This is a whole complex of caves: “Cave of Two Eyes”, “Cave of Tomatoes”, “Smugglers’ Cave” and others. Each of the caves of this complex has something special, something that distinguishes them from each other. Maybe it's the splendor of the flowers. This is a whole area of ​​unidentified treasures, natural wonders.

Sea caves of Palinuro

The Tyrrhenian Sea at Cape Palinuro, Salerno, is home to the extensive system caves in Italy. Underwater caves are popular with divers. However, the caves above the water are also worth visiting. They are also interesting.

Emerald Grotto, Sardinia

A small but very nice grotto in Sardinia. A cave in emerald green tones. If you are in those parts, be sure to visit this place. However, the walk may not be long because the cave is visited by a large number of tourists.

Blue Grotto on Cavoli Beach, Elba Island

On the idyllic, quiet beach of Cavoli on the island of Elba lies the Blue Grotto. The cave is located 600 meters from the sandy shore. You can get there by water moped or small boat. The good thing about the grotto is that there are few tourists here.

In the region of Basilicata in Southern Italy there is a small ancient city Matera. Its historical part consists of cave houses carved into the soft tuff of the Gravina di Matera canyon. Thanks to its unusual architecture, this little-known place among tourists became the subject of a list back in 1993 World Heritage UNESCO.

The carved out cave houses of Matera are called sassi by locals. IN ancient city you can see entire streets of cave houses with small windows and doorways. Their facades are made of tuff rock extracted during the creation of the caves. All sassi are attached to the sheer wall of the Gravina canyon and are connected by winding staircases that serve as streets.

The most difficult thing during the construction of the Matera cave houses was to establish water supply and sewerage. Therefore, a unique system has appeared here, based on collecting rainwater in special tanks created directly in the tuff rocks. You will not find its analogues anywhere else in the world.

That the ancient caves of Matera remained inhabited until the end of the 20th century. It is easy to guess that living conditions in the Sassi were not very comfortable, and were simply completely unsanitary. Some Sassi were converted into more comfortable modern dwellings by wealthy residents, but in most cases these were very modest caves of poor people, where large families of up to 10 people could live.

After unsanitary conditions and mortality in the Sassi reached catastrophic proportions, the authorities managed to resettle the local residents and the cave houses remained unattended for some time. But in 1993 they were recognized as unique and taken under the protection of UNESCO.

The ancient streets of the cave city of Matera have become the setting for a number of films on biblical themes. It was here that the famous “The Passion of the Christ” by Mel Gibson, as well as “The Omen” by John Moore and “Ben-Hur” by Timur Bekmambetov were filmed.

Another interesting cave city can be seen in Turkey. In the unique geological formations of Cappadocia, a cave city was created, where people live to this day.

Fondo Casella, discovered near San Pietro a Maida. People have lived here for several historical periods.

The image of a bull, made by the hand of a prehistoric man at the entrance to the cave of Rom Ito (Papasidero, province of Cosenza), 19 thousand years ago (Paleolithic) is considered the most famous artifact of this kind in Europe. All the walls here are covered with similar drawings, but none of them can compete with the “bull” in accurately depicting the anatomical structure of the animal.

In the center of the Sibari valley, amazing finds of the Neolithic era (VI millennium BC) were made. Objects discovered by archaeologists in the area of ​​Lamezia and in the burial grounds of Caria di Girifalco, as well as fragments of ceramics from the caves of Sant'Angelo near Cassano Ionio, date back to approximately the same period. In the Grotto of the Madonna (Praia a Mare), in the Upper Grotto (Romito), in the cave of Manca (Papasidero), other evidence of the presence of prehistoric man was discovered. The ancient historians Strabo, Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Diodorus mention the tribes of the Iapidae, Italians and Oenoters, who inhabited Calabria from the 17th to the 8th centuries BC. Then a leader, or king, named Italo (this male name is still often found in the south of the country) ruled here. Various chroniclers (including Aristotle) ​​attribute the legendary ruler either to the Oenotri or to the Siculi, but they are all united in the opinion that Italo founded an ethno-political state structure in the south of the Apennine Peninsula, This was a period of fruitful trade relations between the Calabrians and the peoples living in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. Around the same time, the legendary Trojans wandered after the defeat hometown throughout the Mediterranean, Landed on the Calabrian shores, The landing is confirmed by discoveries made in Borgo di Trebisace, in Francavilla Maripima, in Praia a Mara, in Santa Domenica di Ricadi and near Tropea, Homer mentions in the Odyssey the Calabrian city of Temezu, Athena talks about it, having penetrated into the palace of the king of Ithaca under the guise of Mentes, the son of king Anchial, the ruler of the “oar-loving Taphians.” He tells that he brought his ship to Ithaca, “... traveling dark sea to the peoples of a different language..." and wants to "...get copper in the Temes, exchanging shiny iron for it...” It has already been proven that such a settlement really existed on the territory of ancient Calabria and was located between the Amsato and Korace rivers.

The authorities of the Greek city-states supported further expansion in every possible way. Volunteers seeking to found a new colony were supplied with money and ships. Having received the prophecy of the oracle (usually the Delphic one) and having chosen a noble leader, they set off on their journey. The choice of location for the new city was determined by its convenience, the availability of fresh water and the instructions of the oracle.

The Greeks quite peacefully integrated into the life of the indigenous population of the Apennine Peninsula. Their culture, which was more high level, influenced further development southern Italy. In the science and art of the ancient Mediterranean, such natives of Magna Graecia as Pythagoras, Herodotus and Protagoras are known.

Colonies formed allied coalitions with local residents. This is how the Alleates, Lucan, Brutsian and Syracuse unions of cities appeared, which later entered into a single League under the patronage of the goddess Hera of Lucan.

The decline of Magna Graecia begins with the fact that the Italic tribes began to unite with other peoples, for example, with the Lucanians or Brettians. In 111 B.C. South part Italy, including Calabria, became part of the Roman Republic. But it is surprising that such a powerful ancient culture did not leave behind any significant traces in comparison with Greek civilization. Almost all the few finds dating back to the Roman period in the history of Calabria are collected in several local museums.

Among the architectural heritage we can mention the ruins of the theater in Gioiosa lonica and the ruins of villas in Pian delle Vigne, in Casignana Bianco.

It was only during the reign of Emperor Augustus that Calabria was finally assigned the status of a province of the Roman Empire, which was named Lucania and Brutium. The Romans brought many innovations to the life of the remote region and, above all, the legal system.

Calabria gradually became a trade bridge between Rome, Africa and the Middle East. During this period, new cities appeared, and old Greek ones were renamed in the Latin manner: Vibo Valentia, Regium Iulium, Blanda. The mountains in the vicinity of Cosenza remember the campaigns of the soldiers of Spartacus, when the Bruci joined the rebellious slaves, and the streets of Reggio witnessed the expulsion of the dissolute sister of Emperor Augustus.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, times of decline began. Little has survived from the barbarian times of the dominance of the Goths, Visigoths and Lombards. Except that old legend about the treasures in the tomb of Alaric, securely hidden by the waters of the Busento River.

With its appearance in the 6th century. The Byzantines in Calabria begin their period of economic and cultural upsurge. The southern Italian possessions, fragmented by the Lombards, are united under the banner of the County of Benevento (province of Cosenza). In the Ionian part of Calabria there arise one after another settlements oriented towards the culture of the East. Monuments of architecture and art of the Byzantine period are best preserved in the cities of Stilo, Rossa and San Severina.

Thanks to the Byzantine monks, who fled from the devastated Constantinople from Muslim persecution and found safe refuge in the territory of Calabria, Christianity was preserved here. But for five centuries the coastal lands of the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas were regularly attacked by Arabs. The Calabrians called all invaders, for example, the Turks, Arabs. Frequent attacks by restless maritime neighbors forced local residents to move their homes to mountainous areas, leaving the inhabited coasts. During these times, a chain of watchtowers was built on the banks, giving the landscape a menacing look.

The Calabrian epic is rich in colorful legends about the struggle of the local population with the Turks. One of them talks about a traitor who sold himself to the Turks, who appointed him commander of their fleet. He robbed and destroyed his hometowns. To force his fellow countrymen to pay the ransom set by the pirates, the traitor did not even stop at stealing a small child.

There is a legend about how the famous Turkish pirate Barbarossa kidnapped a little boy from the city of La Castella. The baby, who received the Muslim name Ullachi-Ali, eventually became an admiral and commanded the left wing Turkish fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. The Norman rulers returned relative calm to the Calabrian lands, giving a fitting rebuff to the pirates. Once again, the inhabitants of southern Italy experienced the influence of an alien culture. Now Latin was accepted as the official language state language, and old Greek was considered illegal. During this period, many Catholic monasteries appeared, among which the monasteries in Serra San Bruno and San Giovanni in Fiore are especially famous. The cathedral in Gerace is considered a brilliant example of the architecture of the Norman period, in addition, it is worth noting such monuments as the cathedral in Umbriatico and the church of St. Demetrius in Corona.

Following the Normans, the Suevi (Germanic tribes) became interested in Calabria, then the Angevins and Aragonese. But neither the Spanish-Moorish nor the French culture left significant traces here. And yet it is necessary to note such monuments as gothic church Santa Maria in Altomonte, the cathedral in Tropea, the facade of the Certosa in the city of Serra, the cathedral in Montalto Uffugo, the Aragonese castle in Reggio, the castles in Pizzo and Belvedere Marittimo.

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Italy can be called the country of caves. The caves of Italy amaze the imagination with their beauty and grandeur. With more than 10,000 officially registered caves, Italy is one of the largest countries in the world where caves are located not only in the mountains, but also in sea grottoes. In addition, many of the Italian caves are the very first in the world in any category: the largest, the deepest, with the largest stalactites and stalagmites.

Those that are open to visitors can usually be seen only on excursions, and preliminary applications registration is not always necessary. Special illuminated walkways have been built inside most of these caves, and some include a series of stairs. The temperature inside the cave can be cold, so it is worth bringing warm clothes. In addition, it is recommended that you wear sturdy, comfortable walking shoes for your tour.

Caves of Italy review

Frasassi Caves

The Grotte di Frasassi are among the most impressive caves in Italy. The excursion here is quite long, lasting 1 1/4 hours. During the excursion, tourists explore several halls with stalactites and stalagmites. The area of ​​this unique natural object so large that Milan Cathedral (the largest Gothic cathedral in the world) could fit inside it. The Frasassi cave complex is located in central Italy, in the Marche region, 65 kilometers from the Italian port city of Ancona.

Grotta Gigante

Grotto Gigante, a giant cave that has been open to visitors for over a hundred years. This grotto was listed in the Guinness Book of Records in 1995 as the largest tourist cave in the world. The huge main hall of the cave can be reached by climbing the tunnel stairs up the mountain. There are many formations inside, including the Ruggiero Column, 12 meters high. The tour lasts only about one hour. The facility is located approximately 10 kilometers from the small Italian seaport of Trieste (can be reached by bus from the city center), in northeastern Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

Underground caves of Italy Corchia

Monte Corchia, called the empty mountain, has one of the largest cave systems in Europe. The cave labyrinths are located in the Apuan Alps in the northern part of Tuscany, 16 kilometers from the resort town of Forte dei Marmi (Versilia coast), beloved by rich Russians. Two-hour tourist excursion covers almost two kilometers out of 70 kilometers underground labyrinths inside Corchia. It is believed that here are the most beautiful and spectacular stalactites and stalagmites in the world. The small underground lakes here are also very beautiful.

Monte Cucco Cave

Grotta di Monte Cucco is one of the deepest cave systems in the world. Total length The system corresponds to 20 km, but only an 800-meter section is open to tourists. Caves of Italy very popular among tourists. In general, the tour includes a demonstration of three massive caves: Cattedrale, Sala Margherita, and Sala del Becco. The entrance to the cave is located near the very peak of the mountain, so to visit the underground kingdom you will first need to overcome a 27-meter height along an almost vertical staircase. Visitors can choose from three difficulty levels, two of which require early booking. Grotta di Monte Cucco is located in Umbria, in the Monte Cucco Park region.

Grotte di Stiffe

The river runs right through the Grotte di Stiffe, and inside there is beautiful waterfall. The best time to admire this beauty is in the spring. The cave also has many stalactites and stalagmites. The hour-long excursion covers 700 meters, and the stairs here are quite easy to navigate. Grotta di Stiffe is located in central Italy, in the Abruzzo region, approximately 17 kilometers southeast of L'Aquila.

Caves of Italy Grotte Di Castellana

Grotte Di Castellana is large complex caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites in the limestone plateau. One of the rooms open to visitors has a natural skylight. There is another unusual white cave here, which is called Grotta Bianca. Visitors can choose a tour of the caves with a short or long route. Partial tours cover only one kilometer and last 50 minutes. While full tour covers a route of three kilometers, lasting 2 hours. Grotte Di Castellana is located in southeastern Italy, the Puglia region, 11 km from the sea and 17 km north of Alberobello.

Blue Grotto

The Blue Grotto Grotta Azzurra, the most famous of Italy's sea caves, is the main attraction on the island of Capri. The refraction of sunlight in the cave creates an iridescent blue light in the water. The grotto has been in use since prehistoric times and was a favorite swimming pool of the Romans. During the reign of Emperor Tiberius, he had his own villas on the island. This grotto can only be visited by taking a boat tour.

Neptune's Grotto

Neptune's Grotte, or Neptune's Cave, is located just above sea level at the foot of a cliff, near Alghero on the island of Sardinia. The grotto is not always accessible for visiting, since at times when the sea is not calm, excursions are not conducted here. You can get to the grotto by taking a boat from Alghero or from the parking lot along a staircase of 654 steps carved into the rock. Visitors are guided along an illuminated path so they can see the many stalactites and stalagmites as well as the salt water lakes present in the cave.

Sassi or Cave in Matera

Matera, a small town in southern Italy's Basilicata region, has a fascinating area of ​​caves built into a ravine. This amazing place has been inhabited by people for hundreds of years. Several rock churches are open to the public, and there are reproductions of typical cave houses that can be visited. Also, restaurants and hotels where you can relax were even made in the repaired caves.

Not far from the town (not even a town, but a commune - only a little over two thousand inhabitants) Toirano are the famous karst caves Grotte di Toirano. Having never been to such caves before, I can say with full responsibility that these underground beauties are worth a look. To do this, you will have to leave the highway at Pietra Ligure and go to Toirano - follow the signs, otherwise, if the hour is uneven, the navigator will take you to countryside and will suggest driving along a dirt road about two meters wide and bordered on both sides by stone walls. This is exactly the story that happened to me - and I must say, it was not the most difficult route, which we encountered here: we even had to walk backwards along a crooked, narrow street, holding our breath.


If you look closely, you can see giant drawings on this rock - also a kind of local landmark

In general, beware of narrow streets and roads, there are a lot of them in Italy! Actually, almost everything.

One way or another, you will get to the caves without much adventure - and you will find that you will not be allowed into the caves alone, so you will have to wait for a guide. The excursions are only in Italian, but no one bothers you to look around, and in the second half of the route, the guide at the end of the group quietly told us all sorts of interesting things in English.


Rosemary, blown by the fresh mountain wind and washed with morning dew

In total, we had to wait almost an hour for the excursion - and during this hour we managed to breathe in plenty of fresh mountain air (yes, get ready that you will have to walk uphill) and pick rosemary and thyme for dinner. In general, I would issue a special ban on complaining about problems in those countries where food grows itself, without outside coercion.

Now about what you will encounter in the caves themselves.



Inside the caves it’s pure surreal, as if you’re on another planet, in the lair of strangers

Firstly, these are various underground beauties: stalactites, stalagmites, all sorts of strange salt growths, covered with a thin film of water, which is why they seem to be made of plastic, although to the touch they are purely stone. Underground lakes in which I tried to spot eyeless and pale underground fish, but in vain. The stone flowers are something like corals that grew out of the walls due to the high humidity, which allowed the salt deposits to settle in such an unusual way. And everything like that.


One of the most picturesque stalagmites of the Toirano cave


There are practically no smooth surfaces - everything is covered in amazing salt build-ups

Secondly, there are traces of the long-standing presence here of cavemen and our smaller brothers - cave bears, who were three meters tall. If from the first there are only traces and handprints left (they are carefully outlined in white for greater visibility), then a whole cemetery reminds of the visits of cave bears: bears came here to hibernate, but some never woke up, so there are bear bones and skulls in the cave now in abundance.


Stalactites hang thoughtfully from the ceiling...


...and stone flowers bloomed whimsically on the walls

Unfortunately, photography was not allowed most of the way, and how many photographs can you take in the pitch darkness, which is only diffused by the uncertain light of an electric torch? Nevertheless, we still managed to film something, but it’s better to see everything with your own eyes. If you're in Liguria, don't pass by.



Who would raise their hand to say that mountains are not beautiful in themselves?..

This is not the last note about Italy. In the final part I will tell you a little about the town where we stayed.

 

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