The Caves of Castellana, in the province of Bari, represent the most important speleological complex in Italy. These caves are distinguished in particular by extension and vastness and by the extraordinary crystalline cave formations. The system of caves and natural cavities of Castellana, in fact, is the result of the erosive action exerted, over millions of years, by an ancient underground river, which over the millennia has dug and shaped the calcareous rock, typical of the Bari Murgia, giving life to a 3 kilometer underground path, which is divided into two routes.
Historically the sinkhole access to the Grave was well-known, but the first attempt at exploration dates back to the eighteenth century. The real discovery of the Caves as a system takes place in 1938, thanks to the speleologist Franco Anelli, who entered the huge caves “enlivened” by colossal stalactites and stalagmites, that became named White Cave, Cave of the Altar, Cave of the Dome, and passage of the Crib, where a stalagmite called Madonnina delle Grotte is visible.
The erosive action is always in progress, as evidenced by the collapse of the vault of the entrance cave, which is now illuminated by the sunlight. It is a 60 meters deep cave, and is known as La Grave: from here the kilometer long tour starts, but you can also follow the longest route, about three kilometers. The following stages are represented by the Grotta Nera (or Lupa Capitolina), the Cavernone dei Monumenti, the Caverna della Civetta and the Corridoio del Serpente. To reach the Precipice Cave and the Piccolo Paradiso, crossing the Desert Corridor. At the end stands the Cavena della Torre di Pisa, with a limpid little lake where dripping waters converge. Then, again, the Red Corridor, the Dome Cave, the Crystal Pond and, finally, the White Cave.
The Caves of Castellana soon became a major tourist attraction because of their extraordinary vastness and beauty, and for their rare characteristics. In Castellana, in fact, a rather rare phenomenon occurs, and found in very few caves around the world: stalactites and stalagmites, the long formations created by the accumulation of sedimentary limestone carried by water, develop laterally and not vertically, even challenging the law of gravity. This “special effect” is linked to the wind and the composition of the minerals present, and represents a truly unique element in the Italian speleological field.
Among other things, this karst system has not yet been fully explored, – in 2006 – in fact after a debris removal in a stretch of the Caves, a passage was discovered that promises further developments and interesting discoveries. Furthermore, some investigations have led to the theory of the existence of other branches that could start from the initial chasm.
Moreover, these majestic underground environments are also the habitat for a rich cave fauna, among which are identified crustaceans, the pseudoscorpion, some rare beetles and the orthoptera, a sort of terrestrial depth locust.
The Caves have been hosting workshops and educational activities for a long time, and – also – “Hell in the Cave – Verso danzanti nell’aere fosco”, a cultural event considered “the greatest underground aerial show in the world”, attracting tens of thousands of tourists .
