About

It is estimated that this karst cave system is older than 34 million years. Although the Pertosa caverns are more well recognized as such, the cave system is also referred to as Grotte dell'Angelo (Angel Caves) in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel or Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta for the two municipalities where the majority of the caverns are situated. The Pertosa Caves, located in southern Italy's Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, are connected to the phreatic zone of the Alburni Mountain range and are almost two miles (three kilometers) long but have not yet been fully explored. Phreatic zone water creates an underground river that flows through the cave network and eventually merges with the Tanagro River.