They are also known as "Spartacus caves" due to a popular narrative (plausible but not verified) that saw the Roman gladiator stop in these cavities while he was moving the slave revolt towards Rome... #tuttitaly
In 1863, the village of Castelluccia and Civita united, giving life to Castelcivita.
Castelcivita is located in the province of Salerno and boasts, among its tourist attractions, an XIII-century Angevin Tower and the fascinating Spartacus Caves.
The Castelcivita Caves are a complex of karst cavities rich in stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes. They extend several kilometers in the Alburni massif, but only 1700 m are accessible to visitors.
The first documented exploration
On 7 February 1889, two young brothers from Controne, Giovanni and Francesco Ferrara, aged 14 and 16, began exploring the caves. They brought two oil lamps and some matches to orient themselves inside the caves, but after about 300 meters, the two brothers were trapped in a cave full of bat guano and carbon dioxide.
The lack of oxygen made it impossible for the lamps to function, and the two young men remained in the dark.
Only after six days did the first aid locate Giovanni, who survived despite his severe conditions. Francesco was found the next day and died on the way home.
The following explorations
Following the tragic event, no one approached the caves until 1920, when Nicola Zonzi, the pharmacist of Castelcivita, decided to conduct a preliminary exploration.
Later, thanks to its description, speleologists systematically mapped the caves in the 20th and 30th of the XX centuries. The main entrance was enlarged and adapted to welcome the first visitors.
Legend
A legend sees the protagonist of the Caves, the Roman gladiator Spartacus, who would have stopped right inside them after being defeated in battle by the Roman army.
Because of this narration, the Castelcivita Caves are known as the Spartacus Caves.
Curiosity: In 1972, traces of occupation by Neanderthal man, who disappeared about 40,000 years ago, were found in the caves.
