Legends about caves in Italy. Castellana Grottoes - a natural attraction of Puglia
“You know, there’s a cave nearby with a hall so huge that St. Peter’s Basilica could easily fit in it?” - fellow travelers asked me during my last visit to Trieste, an Italian city located on the border with Slovenia.
I had never heard of the cave, which has the obvious name Grotta Gigante, that is, “Giant Cave,” so I immediately decided to go there in order to find out on the spot what it was.
In the photo: entrance to the Great Hall of Grotta Gigante
Grotta Gigante is located on the limestone Karst plateau near the highway connecting Italy with Slovenia and Croatia. Among Russian travelers this natural tourist site they are not particularly popular; moreover, information about Grotta Gigante is not even in the Russian version of Wikipedia, which is extremely sad, since this place is very interesting.
This concerns not only the impressive size of Grotta Gigante, because of which it was even included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest cave in the world equipped for visiting tourist groups, that is, with stairs, lighting and other attributes for a safe descent inside, but also the history of the cave, no matter how strange this phrase may seem to you.
In the photo: thickets of stalactites in the Giant Cave
The giant cave was discovered by speleologists in 1840, and already in 1905 work began on improving the descent in order to make this natural object accessible to tourist visit. In addition to speleologists, archaeologists also carried out research in the cave, and their findings are the most curious, because at the bottom of the cave they discovered the remains of two prehistoric people, fragments of ancient ceramics, as well as the bones of animals that once lived in Eurasia, but became extinct during the last Ice Age period.
An inspection of Grotta Gigante begins with a detailed excursion into history and archeology, because the descent into the cave is carried out once an hour, so while you are waiting for your turn, there is a decent amount of time left to study the exhibition of the local museum, located directly above the cave. By the way, this approach is more than justified; it turns out that you first study the theory, and then move on to the practical part, that is, to a walk through the cave and unrestrained photography of stalactites and stalagmites.
In the photo: stalagmites in the cave resemble mushrooms
The fact that in prehistoric times panthers, hairy rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses and other animals “lived” on the territory of Eurasia, the modern halo of which is limited to Africa, Asia, South and North America, I read in the book “Guns, Germs and Steel,” but it’s one thing to read about it, and quite another to see the physical evidence with your own eyes.
In the museum, opened next to the cave, a whole hall is dedicated to prehistoric herbivores and predators that did not survive the last Ice Age, as well as close acquaintance with hungry Cro-Magnons. Here you can see the bones of European panthers, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, bison, hyenas and a European lion discovered in the cave.
Pictured: European panther bones discovered in Giant Cave
At the center of the exhibition is the reconstructed skeleton of a cave bear; these animals became extinct around 29,000 BC. Cave bears were approximately the size of their polar relatives, and their diet consisted of berries, roots and other components of the vegetarian diet. The exact reason for the disappearance of cave bears has not been fully established, but historians suggest that in this case, the Ice Age was greatly helped by people who were actively hunting in Europe during this period.
In the photo: skeleton of a cave bear in the museum at the Giant Cave
By the way, about people. While exploring the cave, archaeologists discovered fragments of ceramics and pottery, as well as arrowheads dating back to the Bronze Age, that is, to the period from 4000 to 1500 BC. There is a unanimous opinion as to whether ancient people lived in the Giant Cave on a permanent basis, or whether traces prehistoric civilization it just sometimes fell inside the Grotta Gigante, the scientists never came, but it must be said that if the giant cave was used by the ancient representatives of homo sapiens as a permanent place of residence, then understanding their choice is still as easy as shelling pears.
In the photo: samples of ceramics and pottery from the Bronze Age discovered
in the Giant Cave
The fact is that the temperature inside the cave invariably remains at 11 degrees, and the dimensions of the main hall clearly indicate that an entire tribe could comfortably settle here: the length of the cave is 167.70 meters, and the width is 76.30 meters.
In the photo: a giant stalagmite and the Great Hall of the cave
The descent to a depth of 98.50 meters is carried out using stairs, the construction of which was completed in 1908, at which time not only scientists, but also curious tourists began to be allowed into the cave. By the way, the flights of stairs in the cave rest on railways- their Grotta Gigante was once donated by the Austrian railways who helped refine the cave.
Once inside the Grotta Gigante, you involuntarily catch yourself thinking that this is exactly what it should look like main hall in the palace of the king of the gnomes, fortunately the lighting of the cave allows you to see in detail the columns of stalagmites rushing upward and stalactites hanging from the ceiling.
The growth of the natural bas-reliefs of the cave directly depends on the amount of precipitation that falls in this part of Italy: in dry periods, the growth rate of stalactites and stalagmites does not exceed one millimeter per thirty years, but in rainy years the underground columns grow, one might say, by leaps and bounds - one millimeter in three years.
Another interesting point is the color of the cave walls, which directly depends on the chemical composition of the rock. In this regard, Grotta Gigante is lucky, she is multi-colored. The gray color of some walls indicates that limestone rock predominates in this area, nearby you can see snow-white walls - they contain pure calcite, and the red and orange walls of the cave indicate that in these places the rock contains calcium carbonate and oxide gland.
Here and there in the cave, an attentive tourist may notice plants, which, by the way, is absolutely contrary to the laws of nature. The fact is that any plant needs light to grow, and in caves of this type there is complete darkness both day and night, but after an artificial lighting system was created inside Grotto Gigante, ferns, moss and algae immediately began to grow here. So human activity does not always lead to the disappearance of plants and animals; sometimes it stimulates reverse processes.
Although the cave is essentially a single space, it is usually divided into two halls: the Big and the Altar. The second hall in this case is just minus the first floor of the Great Hall, but it is not the bottom of the cave. In fact, through one of the tunnels of the Altar Hall you can go down to a depth of 250 meters.
In the photo: a stalagmite in the form of a tower in Grotta Gigante
True, ordinary tourists are not allowed into the Krasta dungeon at all, but scientists from the University of Trieste quite often descend here, here they measure the level of rise of the underground Timavo River, which was formed millions of years ago by Grotta Gigante.
But guests are allowed to walk along the artificial gallery, and in the finale they are invited to climb observation deck Belvedere, from where you can see the entire cave. By the way, it was here in 1840 that a group of researchers led by engineer Anton Friedrich Lindner descended and discovered the Giant Cave. By the way, scientists climbed into the dungeon on ropes for a reason, they were looking for fresh water in the depths of the Karst massif.
In the photo: Great Hall of the Giant Cave
Lastly, something funny. One of the stalagmites of the cave is very reminiscent of the statue of the Madonna in its shape, so on the eve of Christmas, figurines of the Virgin Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus in a manger and the Magi are installed near it. If we remember that archaeologists discovered Bronze Age ceramics in Grotta Gigante, then the fact that there was a place for Christmas presepios in the cave can be seen as a kind of “continuity of generations.” Although, to be frank, such fruits of human civilization in the Giant Cave look very alien; some copies of prehistoric arrowheads would be much more appropriate here.
Cost of visit: 12 euros (adult ticket), 9 euros - student ticket, schoolchildren - 8 euros, children from 3 to five years old - 1 euro, children under two years old - free.
Opening hours: from October to March from 10.00 to 16.00, from April to September from 10.00 to 18.00
Address: Società Alpina delle Giulie – Sezione di Trieste del C.A.I. Indirizzo: Via Donota, 2
34121 – Trieste (TS) C.F.: 80016540322 Partita I.V.A.: 00243240322
COORDINATE BANCARIE – codice IBAN: IT84I0892802200010000010249
Did you like the material? Join us on facebook
Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the website project. In the past, he was the editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and the editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
I did not yet have tickets to Italy when I discovered the book “Legends of Florence,” written by the American folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland. The first edition was published more than 100 years ago - in 1895. By chance, I downloaded a scanned copy of that same year of release - with yellowed pages and English grammar unusual for a modern person.
According to the author, this is a collection of beliefs that he heard from the Florentines. Some of them are humorous, some are frank from the point of view of a modern person. Do these legends still circulate among people today? I would like to know, but people once believed what Leland says. Moreover, I met some of the legends he told in other sources dedicated to the life of Florence.
Since the book was on English language, then in the evenings I translated some of the legends for myself. When I finally found myself in Italy in August, I was able to give my girlfriend individual tour"Myths and Legends of Florence", as it is now popularly called. When I returned, I suddenly thought: why not publish some of these stories? As a result, I ended up with this little post that I initially didn’t even intend to write. Unfortunately, I don’t have my own photographs of all the places I describe, but I hope this is not such a big drawback. :)
1. Goblin of Via del Corno.
Next to the famous Palazzo Vecchio there is a small street called Via del Corno, which means Horn Street. Where does this name come from?
A long time ago there was a palace here, where, in addition to the owner, there lived a goblin. (I must say that goblins are a typical fairy tale hero Florentine beliefs). Oddly enough, the signor and the goblin were friends, although this friendship was peculiar. The goblin entertained the owner with music, they sang a duet, told each other stories and drank Chianti.
However, word of the strange creature spread and people began to avoid the street. In addition, neither the servants nor the lord's lovers could get along with the goblin, and therefore there were always only the two of them in the house.
But one day the goblin said to his friend: “I am sorry that such a faithful comrade is doomed to drown tomorrow.”
“There is not enough water in the Arno to drown a duck,” answered the signor.
The goblin went to the window, looked at the stars, whistled and said:
“As I said, it is destined by fate that you will drown tomorrow.” But there is salvation. Take this horn and wear it around your neck all day. If you feel in trouble, blow the trumpet. Then you will be safe and will not drown.
Having said this, he gave the knight the forge, drank the wine, wiped his lips, bowed for the night and disappeared.
The lord was frightened by the prediction. The next day he did not go to the Arno River, despite the fact that it was hot in Florence. He refused to go to the bathroom and even washed his face in fear. The thought did not leave him that his enemies would break into the house, tie him up and throw him into a stream of water.
There was a small secret room in his palazzo that only he knew. The owner of the house decided to hide there. But he had no idea that under the closet there was a huge tank of wine. It was into this that he fell when he jumped into the closet, the floor of which was rotten.
The signor shouted for help, but no one came. Already in despair, he remembered the forge. The poor fellow blew it, and a terrifying sound came out of the horn, which was heard far beyond the borders of Florence. People came from all over the city to find out what happened. They helped the signor escape and listened to his story.
In the evening the goblin appeared before the lord and said:
- My son, this is ours last night together. You are saved and I have fulfilled my duty. I was once a man, and you saved me from murderers. I swear I will watch over you.
The goblin promised that the lord would soon have a happy wedding. (That's why he stopped him from getting married earlier). He said that if he needed help, he should blow the horn, but this could only be done in his palazzo and only after midnight. Then the goblin disappeared forever.
The lord married and lived happily ever after. He placed a bugle on his coat of arms, and that is why the entire street where his palazzo stood was nicknamed Via del Corno.
2. Legend of Croce al Trebbio
Next to the Church of Santa Maria Novella there is a small square called Croce al Trebbio, where you can now find a column with a crucifix.
Where it now stands, in ancient times there was a palace that belonged to one of the ancient families Florence. It so happened that this noble family was interrupted.
Soon after the death of the last owner, the palace passed to the other three families. It was said that on the first night the new residents heard a sound like someone inserting a key into the lock, opening the door and getting up cursing. After that, a tall, brilliantly dressed man with a deathly pale face and a terrible sparkle in his eyes appeared in the dining room, as if some kind of bluish light was burning in them.
Upon entering, he cursed at the servants for not preparing dinner and began breaking dishes. We saw him in this house more than once. If someone stayed to sleep in the palazzo, then in the morning he was either found dead, or he lived a couple more days and died. Gradually, not only this house, but also those nearby, became empty.
Not only respectable people began to avoid the palace, but also those who, it would seem, had nothing to fear. When the Florentines heard the evening bell ringing, which meant that it was time for everyone to go home, only the guards and disobedient young people remained on the streets. It often happened that these companies hid from the guards in the old palazzo. However, having stayed once, they were afraid to return there again.
At the same time, there lived a man in Florence, brave and pious, but very poor, which is why he ended up on the street with his wife and 8 children. He turned to the Signoria, and its members, concerned about the situation with that palazzo, invited him, as a brave man, to occupy it. They believed that there was a treasure in the palazzo - if the poor man found it, he could keep it for himself.
The man agreed. (And did he have a choice?). But on the way to the palazzo he bought olive branches, salt, incense and images of saints. As soon as he crossed the threshold of his new home, our hero sprinkled it all over with holy water, praying at the same time.
On the very first night, the ghost of this same dandy appeared, who frightened all the previous residents. He climbed the stairs, but realized that he could not go further, since the house was consecrated. Terrible sounds escaped from his chest. But the poor man was not afraid. The next day he rededicated the house. Moreover, he found a chapel in the palazzo and invited a priest there to say a mass for the repose of the spirit.
There was a garden next to the palazzo, where the children of the new owner usually played. During their games, they suddenly found a broken crucifix with Christ buried in the ground. The children collected it piece by piece and took it to the chambers, where they began to sing hymns. At that moment there was a knock on the door. A woman came in. Her face was covered, although it was noticeable that she was crying at the sight of the children. The woman said: “Stay as you are, and God will love you.” She revealed to the children of the poor man the secret of the night visitor to this palazzo.
The owner of the house was a gambler and a blasphemer. One day he returned home after a big loss and, in a fit of rage, broke his crucifix and threw it into the garden. Soon he felt that he was dying and buried treasures in the garden. “Love God and you will find them,” the woman said and disappeared.
The children ran at full speed to their father and told him about the unusual vision they had seen. The poor man said that it was the Virgin Mary who appeared to them.
At midnight, the priest celebrated mass when the ghost of the former owner of the palazzo reappeared. He said: “It was I who broke the cross, and for this I am cursed.” Without looking at him, the priest began to sprinkle holy water. At that second, thunder roared and the entire palace turned into a pile of stones. All that remained was the cross, towering in the garden. When the next day the poor man and his family cleared the rubble, they found treasure under the cross.
The Signoria turned out to be right, and the poor man turned into a rich man. In memory of this, he erected a column on the site of the cursed house.
In fact, the column here was erected in 1338, replacing another monument from 1224 dedicated to St. Zenobius, the first bishop of Florence, and St. Ambrose.
3.Street of Lost Servants.
Between Piazza della Signoria and the square near the Church of Santa Croce there is another interesting street - Via del Parlascio, as it is called now. Residents once called it Via delle Serve Smarrite, which means “street of lost servants.”
Once upon a time, there was a huge old house here, in which no one wanted to live, because it was believed that witches and demons gathered there. The sound of chains, the peals of terrible laughter at midnight, blue and green lights in the windows - all this was seen and heard by those who happened to pass nearby after sunset.
All sorts of dubious people wanted to take this house into their own hands. But everyone who went there never came out. If they noticed that someone was leaving the house, it was always the young and beautiful maids. The reason for this was the following.
It happened that noble Florentines sent one of their maids to the market. Along the way, a young girl met an old woman who started a conversation with her, and then assured her that serving someone was a low thing. She said that she would help the girl marry a noble gentleman - not life, but a dream. And often this trick worked.
The girls were brought to this very house, which was ugly on the outside, but brilliant on the inside. The maids were greeted there like royalty, but at some point they realized that they had become the same property of the owner of the house - a sorcerer who was involved in terrible things.
Eventually, the girls' disappearances became so common that people started talking about it. One brave man decided to solve this riddle and find out the reason. In the evening he found himself next to the palazzo and heard terrible sounds mixed with women's laughter. He climbed up the wall and saw in the window many beautiful, barely dressed women who were undoubtedly practicing witchcraft. He liked what he saw so much that he decided to get inside.
The man went downstairs, where he suddenly encountered the same old woman luring the maids. The young man gave her money so that she would let him in and reveal the secret. Imagine his surprise when he recognized the old woman as his nurse, whom he had not seen for many years and who loved him.
She told him everything she knew about the strange palazzo. The fact is that for a long time the old woman herself was a servant here, but, despite the good salary, she was tired of the evil that was happening in this place. The old woman also added that if the young man wants to go inside, now is the time: the sorcerer, the owner of the house, is not at home.
Upon entering, the young man was amazed by the beauty of the house and the beauty of the girls. Having talked with one of them, which he liked the most, he found out that she would gladly leave this place. The others wanted the same, but they were all afraid of the sorcerer.
Then the signor turned to everyone and said that the guards would soon arrive here. He advised them to pack their things, take as many valuables as possible from the house and run. How
As soon as he said this, the fuss and preparations began. Each wanted to grab something valuable, and sometimes it almost came to a fight.
Suddenly everyone froze as a sorcerer appeared on the threshold. He asked in a thunderous voice what all this meant. Amid this chaos, a young man stepped forward. The sorcerer did not expect to meet him here and was taken aback, as he recognized him as a valiant young man who was supported by the guards.
At that moment, the maids all attacked their master and tied him up. The signor sat at the head of the table and invited the girls to sit next to him to decide the fate of the sorcerer.
He was found guilty (!) of depriving other bachelors of the company of these beautiful ladies. But since he did not kill anyone or steal anything, he was allowed to leave and practice his witchcraft in another, less Christian city, on the condition that he would share his wealth among the poor girls.
And so it happened. The gold was divided, and it was so great that soon the girls married noble people and lived happily.
4. Column in Piazza Santa Trinita
Under Duke Cosimo de' Medici (the monument to him can be seen in the photo), Florence strengthened its position on the map of Italy. Under him, Siena was annexed to the Duchy of Tuscany. In 1554, the Battle of Marciano took place, in which Florence defeated Siena. According to legend, Cosimo heard the news about this in Santa Trinita Square.
In memory of that day, a column from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome was brought here - a gift from Pope Pius IV to Duke Cosimo. The 11-meter-high pillar is crowned with a statue depicting the Goddess of Justice with scales in her hands. It is with this column that the following legends are associated.
One day, a poor girl was arrested for stealing a bracelet or some other piece of jewelry worth a fabulous amount of money, and was thrown into prison. They could not find the jewelry, but the rumors were sufficient grounds for accusations, trial and torture. In addition, they believed that Providence always saves the innocent, so if a person was hanged, it means that in one way or another he deserved it in his life.
The girl was executed and forgotten about. But after a while, some worker needed to climb to the very top of the Santa Trinita column, where he discovered that a magpie or a jackdaw had made a nest. It was there that the missing jewelry was found. This is justice.
There is another Florentine legend associated with this place.
The column in the square was a gathering place for fairies, or witches. Under her pedestal they gathered and discussed their affairs. When someone was thrown into prison in Florence, one of the witches, disguised as a magistrate, questioned the person. If he told the truth, they saved him, but if he lied, then they left him to disappear behind bars.
Here, under the column, they sometimes had fun in the company of their mortal friends.
Their head was a married woman who always kept a pair of scales with her. When these witches needed to decide someone's fate, they weighed how much good and evil that person had done. This is how they decided their destinies.
It often happened that the prisoner was young and beautiful man. Then these witches underground routes They took the convict from prison to their gathering place near Santa Trinita and had fun with him there.
But woe to those who betrayed them. They were turned into cats and mice and had to live in the basements of the old ghetto.
5. Palazzo Nonfinito - Unfinished Palace
This is perhaps one of the most famous legends of Florence, associated with an equally famous building that stands at the intersection of Via del Corso and Via del Proconsolo.
Signor Alessandro Strozzi had a friend who, dying, left him his son in his care. His father bequeathed his entire fortune to him and ordered him not to waste it and to live in harmony with his stepfather.
But as soon as he died, his offspring went on a rampage and plunged into the world of gambling, getting involved with bad company. The devil, who is played in every game, deceived and seduced the young man. He made a deal with him, according to which the demon worked for him for a hundred years, and in return the young man had to give him his soul.
The guy started winning big. Eventually he got tired of the very sight of the cards. For some time he kept the devil busy with various other jobs: getting a girl, building a tower, sending him to India for diamonds.
Finally the young man decided to drive away the demon. The little devil was stupid, and even became annoying and proud. He constantly asked for new work to demonstrate his strength, and constantly showed up at the most inopportune moments. A plan began to mature in the young man’s head, since he already noticed that the demon was afraid of images of saints and holy water.
At this very time, the young man fell in love with the daughter of his mentor Alessandro Strozzi. The young man asked for her hand. The girl's father agreed, but gave a condition: within a year, the groom must build a palace on the corner of Via dei Proconsolo. Strozzi did not approve of the marriage in his heart and hoped that something would change within a year.
Then the young man told the demon that he wanted to arrange a final, big game. If the demon builds him a palace, as the young man tells him, then he may no longer work for him. If not, their contract will be terminated.
The devil fulfilled the condition. During the day, the palazzo was built by imps dressed as workers, and at night by invisible demons. And all the residents of Florence were surprised that the building was growing by leaps and bounds.
When six months had passed, the demon said:
- Now tell me how to decorate the palace, since everything else is almost finished.
- Oh yes, good. This may be a little difficult, but I give you my word as an honest man that I will not ask you to do anything that any artist in this city cannot do.
The demon was glad to hear this, since he was afraid that he would be ordered to perform an unprecedented miracle.
- What do you want?
- It's very simple. My future wife is an extremely pious woman. Therefore, I want to front door the Holy Family, the Trinity, the Virgin Mary and a child were depicted. Above each door the same theme should be repeated in gold and blessed with holy water. Ceilings should be decorated with images of saints.
- Go to the devil with your saints! - the demon yelled.
It was the dead of night when there was a blinding flash of light and an unearthly sound was heard. The demon, turning into an owl, flew out of the window into the rain, howling “Mai finito” around.
And they still say that a little owl sits on the roof of the palace and shouts: “Unfinished! Unfinished!".
(Michelandello's House - Casa Buonarroti)
6. Michelangelo's Ghost
Anyone who has read about Michelangelo's life has noticed that he was not particularly into girls. Therefore, in folk tradition he was perceived as a spirit, kind, but tormenting lovers. Here is the following legend:
Michelangelo's spirit was often seen in the forest at night. Usually he wandered and sang songs. When he met lovers hiding and confident that they would not be found, he began to sing even louder. Taken by surprise, the lovers tried to escape, but discovered that a certain mysterious power prevents them from doing this. In the end, the artist's spirit laughed loudly, and his victims finally managed to escape from their tormentor.
Michelangelo's amusements extended not only to lovers, but also to his fellow artists. It happened that a girl artist began to paint a picture on the street or in the forest. The ghost came up from behind and interfered with her work, making the canvas turn out very badly. The poor girl began to get angry, but the spirit of Michelangelo just laughed and sang, and sang beautifully. The artist turned around, but did not see anyone. Frightened, she ran home, but the singing in her ear did not stop. But the most amazing thing was that, upon going home, she discovered that the drawing was not only not spoiled, but was also finished by the hand of Michelangelo himself.
7. The Apparition of Dante
Anyone who has been to Florence has noticed how much Dante Alighieri, one of the main poets of Italy, is revered here. It is not surprising that he left his mark in the legends compiled by the people.
It is believed that if someone passionately loves poetry, then he should sit until nightfall on a bench in the square near Santa Croce, where there is a monument to the author of the Divine Comedy, or at another place where Dante often visited. You should read his poems and call Dante, and then a man will come up to you and sit down on a bench like an ordinary person. This will be Dante.
They say that if in any public place, on vacation or in a hotel, a poet reads Dante's poems, then the spirit of the great Italian is always among those listening. Either in the form of a poor man or a noble person - it all depends on the place.
8. Spirit of Ponte Vecchio
Those who walk across the bridge after midnight can sometimes see a man who looks either like a guard or like a beggar. He usually stands leaning over the bridge.
If you ask him something like “Who are you?” or “What are you doing?”, then the answer will be silence. But if you ask him the question “Who am I?”, he will start laughing very loudly and loudly, so that people living in the nearest houses will wake up. However, they are not afraid of him, since he is a good spirit, and people believe that he protects them.
He truly watches over those who believe in him. It is enough to ask him to guard a house or store, and he will do it. If someone breaks into one of the shops, which is located on the Ponte Vecchio bridge and which he guards, then the spirit will wait until the robbers do their job. And then he will start shouting “Al ladro!”, that is, “Thief!”, until the robbers are caught.
9. History of Porta San Niccolo
Those who now want to climb the famous Piazzale Michelangelo usually pass by the old San Niccolo gate - evidence that the city wall once ran here. At a time when Florence was still surrounded by a fortress, the following story happened.
A man once walked into the Arno Valley with a joker named Barlacchio. ( As far as I could find out, this was a real herald from the time of Lorenzo de' Medici, whose name was Domenico Barlachia)
On their way back, they stopped at Bagno a Ripoli, which is very close to the outskirts of the city. The man had to pause while Barlacchio went forward. The time was late and, although Barlacchio made it before the gates closed, the second man risked arriving when they were closed for the night. Therefore, he asked him: “Make sure that everything is in order with the gate,” meaning that, out of friendship or for money, he would negotiate with the guards.
This joker came to Porta San Niccolo and actually asked if everything was all right with them: if they stood well and if they would not fall. He said he was doing this at the request of a friend who inspects bridges and gates. Moreover, Barlacchio received a paper confirming that everything was in order. After that, he went home with a clear conscience.
Knowing that his friend would do everything right, the man, who had been delayed on the way, slowly rode on his donkey. But when he arrived at the gate, he discovered that no one was letting him in and the gate was closed. Angry, he went to the inn.
In the morning he came to the gate and asked if Barlacchio was there. He was told that he had come and examined the gate very carefully.
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 , which are open to visitors, can usually be seen only on a guided tour, and it is not always necessary to make preliminary applications. 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 the Milan Cathedral (the largest of Gothic cathedrals in the world) can 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. The two-hour tourist excursion covers almost two kilometers of the 70 kilometers of 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 in the world cave systems. The total length of the system is 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 a large complex of caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites in a 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 to tour the caves with a short or long route. Partial tours cover only one kilometer and last 50 minutes. While the full tour covers a route of three kilometers, lasting 2 hours. Grotte Di Castellana is located in south-eastern Italy, the Puglia region, 11 kilometers from the sea and 17 kilometers 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, in the Basilicata region, has a fascinating area of caves built in 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.
Address: Italy, Marche region
Opening year: 1948
Length: 30 km
Coordinates: 43°24"00.8"N 12°57"43.4"E
Short description
At the end of the 20th century, namely in 1971, a group of Italian speleologists exploring the Apennine Mountains in Ancona accidentally discovered underground grottoes of fantastic beauty.
This news instantly spread throughout the world, forcing researchers to thoroughly study the unusual underground world, stretching for 13 km, and which nature itself created in the bowels of the earth.
For more than a million years, water drops in a complex cave system formed marble openwork columns, limestone figures and stalagmites of the most diverse and bizarre shapes. After just a couple of years, the caves were cleared, paths and bridges were laid in them, and amazing lighting was installed. In 1974, this unusual underground world was opened to tourists who wanted to get to know the Frasassi caves, which received the status of the most beautiful caves in Europe and added to the list of the most visited attractions in Italy. Since that time, little-known Ancona has rightfully gained worldwide fame. This quiet Italian corner seems to have woken up from a dream, and for the past 40 years it has been hosting guests from all over the world.
Many tourists, choosing new routes among the hundreds of options offered by travel agencies, probably don’t even think about the fact that the trip can be made not to the quiet ocean waters, not to the most popular resorts in the world. And without even spending free time, getting acquainted with ancient monuments of architecture and history; not by visiting the boutiques of famous fashion houses. You can make your journey into the enchanting underground kingdom, plunging into which, literally, you find yourself in a fantastic and mysterious world, on the creation of which time and nature “worked” together.
Frasassi Caves: an unforgettable journey into an enchanting kingdom
The Frasassi underground complex greets travelers with an inconspicuous entrance, upon crossing the threshold of which guests of the “Italian fairy tale” find themselves in the cave of the Holy Refuge. There is a small chapel here, as speleologists found out, it was built back in the 11th century, and an octagonal church, the construction date of which was 1828. For unknown reasons, these buildings were abandoned and forgotten by people. Walking along a small narrow road, which is prudently fenced, tourists find themselves in an impressively sized hall called the “Abyss of Ancona”.
“It is impossible to thoroughly convey in words the feelings and sensations that arise when you see the “Abyss of Ancona.” It seems as if hundreds of little gnomes have worked to create many stalactites and stalagmites of different sizes, colors and shapes. The ceiling of the Sala dell "Infinito cave is literally lost in height. According to the guide, without whom, by the way, it is impossible to visit the Frasassi caves, its height is just over 100 meters. Only when we find ourselves in the depths of the earth does one understand how short-lived our life is, and how futile are man’s attempts to create something eternal,” one of the travelers who managed to visit the mysterious Frasassi shares his impressions.
Tourist winding paths among the limestone hills lead guests of the underground world to the Great Cave of the Winds (La Grotta Grande del Vento), to the limestone Giant Cave, where a gigantic column is located, to the Hall of Candles (Sala Delle Candeline), the floor of which is literally strewn with hundreds of white and cream stalagmites shimmering in the reflection small lake. The similarity of stalagmites with candles is emphasized by the artificial lighting, which was successfully worked on by the caretakers of the cave.
One cannot help but amaze with its magnificence.... Niagara Falls. Yes, yes, in this underground world have your own Niagara Falls! Its only difference from the one already known in the USA is that it is made of stone, but this in no way detracts from its fantastic beauty. The sparkling frozen streams are so similar to water ones that it would be an unforgivable mistake to call this natural underground miracle anything else. The Hall of the Bear, which travelers will certainly find themselves in, also got its name because of the snow-white limestone, its shape reminiscent of a lying bear carcass.
About halfway through the tour, in one of the caves, the guide invites his charges to feel like pioneers. To do this, he turns one of the switches, thus turning off all artificial lighting. Travelers find themselves in pitch darkness and, so to speak, “oppressive” silence. Probably, not everyone will be able to stay in such an atmosphere of uncertainty for a long time, but this experiment lasts no more than 5 minutes. After this, the guide suggests going further and enjoying the wondrous beauties of the remaining caves.
Some representatives of the animal world also found refuge in the Frasassi caves. High humidity and constant air temperature are perfect for the existence of flatworms and centipedes. Also in the grottoes and tunnels of the “Italian underground kingdom” you can find a blind cave salamander and even a lobster. However, the bats outnumber everyone in numbers, which spend all daytime in Frasassi, flying out only at night to search for food.
The Frasassi Caves are a geological miracle, the largest speleological complex and stunning in its number of all kinds of underground formations. Here, literally at every step, you can find various deposits: fragile and delicate “fringe”, large and thick majestic columns. All of them, depending on their composition, shimmer in snow-white, soft blue, greenish, cream and pale pink shades.
Frasassi Caves - a reminder for tourists
Once in the Frasassi caves, you should remember that inside underground labyrinth 100% humidity, and the air temperature stays at 14 degrees Celsius all year round. Therefore, before going deeper, it would be a good idea to take warm clothes and, preferably, waterproof shoes with you. To be fair, it is worth noting that the “standard” excursion (“Green”), which everyone is invited to visit, lasts just over an hour and is conducted along clearly defined paths and paths. However, this “impossibility of leaving the distance” is actually pleasing, because everything around, stalagmites, stalactites and walls retain their pristine beauty.
And if one of excursion group wants to tear off a piece of limestone as a souvenir of the trip, he will not be able to do it: caretakers are constantly monitoring order. And if you think about the fact that everyone who wants to just tear it off and take with them a piece of the underground kingdom, then what will remain in the caves? Especially for tourists, there is a souvenir shop on the surface, right at the entrance to the Frasassi cave., where you can purchase a small copy of the Frasassi grotto, made of limestone by Italian craftsmen. In addition, as a souvenir, tourists are invited to purchase a short video about the Frasassi caves for a reasonable fee.
There is another excursion option designed for those who are serious about speleology, and to be more precise, there are two routes of varying difficulty. The first, the so-called “Blue”, includes walking through narrow passages, in some places with very dirty and slippery floors, visiting the Finlandia hall, the Infinity hall, the Lucia Well hall and others. The second route is called “Red”, its duration is longer than the first: just over three hours. It also starts from the Hall of Infinity, and then it is supposed to overcome a 30-meter abyss (the Folkonara pit), move along a narrow and long corridor, and descend to a 10-meter depth.
I would like to add that tours of the Frasassi caves are conducted in four languages: Italian, German, English and French. Admission ticket costs 15 euros for adults and 12 euros for children. The cost of so-called “speleo tours” ranges from 25 euros to 80 euros. The main influx of tourists occurs between March and October; excursions at this time of year are held once every hour and a half. During the winter, groups visit the Frasassi caves only twice a day.
Not far from the city of Alia (province of Palermo) are the Gurfa Caves (Le grotte della Gurfa), created by man in the Bronze Age.
The name "Gurfa" is of Arabic origin and means "room". There are a total of 6 rooms in the cave, carved into the red sandstone rock. The height of the large hall of the cave reaches almost 16 meters, and the domed vault is crowned with a small hole through which light passes inside.
An ancient legend says that the Cretan king Minos, who ended up in Sicily in search of the inventor Daedalus, was buried in the cave. The Sican king Kokal and his daughters, who invited the Cretan king to stay with them, are believed to have had something to do with the murder of Minos. However, danger awaited Minos while visiting - insidious women boiled him in boiling water.
Located in the commune of Alia, Grotte della Gurfa is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Sicily.
We present Anna Casis' interview with Professor Carmelo Montagna about the extraordinary caves of Gurfa. Majestic underground structures carved into the rock, testifying to ancient civilization in Sicily - the desire of scientists and the pride of archaeological tourism in the province of Palermo.
They are called Grotte della Gurfa, but they are not caves, or even granaries or ancient warehouses, at least in their original use. They are certainly of Arab origin in their topography, but there is much doubt about the meaning of their name: pit, "sloping mountain wall" or even "chamber on the upper floors." There are even doubts about who built them and when they were built. However, despite all these doubts, there are people who consider the architecture of the Grotte della Gurfa "on a large scale, imbued with archaic sanctity" for the size of the underground structures. A sanctuary or perhaps even a tomb of King Minos of Crete, who arrived in Sicily to capture Daedalus. The explanation of the art historian Carmelo Montagna, who in his books (“Sulle tracce di Minosse”, “Thòlos e Tridente”, “Il Tesoro di Minos”) tried to reveal the thousand-year-old secrets of these mysterious structures, contains a fascinating and convincing interpretation...
First of all, attention is drawn to the monumentality of this hypogeum, in particular the bell cave, such as the tholos, whose dimensions make it the largest in the Mediterranean...
As soon as I saw the photos of the Bell CaveGrotte della Gurfa is almost in the center of Sicily, so I immediately decided to go there. Because the bell caves are the most important objects of our research in archaeoacoustics. We found the Gurfa caves quite easily and were able to get through the open door into the amfilade of underground halls on the second floor, and also look at the bell cave from there. However, individual entrances to the halls of the first floor, including the bell cave itself, were locked. When we were already desperate to get into them, a group of local young Italians with girls arrived and opened both doors. After that we entered them.
Bell CaveGrotte della Gurfa is very similar to the bell caves we previously explored in
