LANDSCAPE AREA Q _ MOUNTAIN- VALLEY Included Geosites Id_denomination Imp. Id_denomination Imp. Id_denomination Imp. 142_ karsic springs with M 149_ Grooved mean- S 156_ karst plateau of S fall of S. Maria Auso ders of Calore river- Alburni Mountain Stazione di Sicignano 143_Caves of - F-C 150_Carbonatic series S 157_Piaggine Forma- S Mulino's springs of tion-S. Rufo

144_Caves of F-C 151_Terraces of Calore S 158_Fossil of Lady S river- Mountain

145_Sinkhole of Fumo-Frà S 152_Limestone with S 159_ Richter side - S Gentile fossil-Timpa del Prato 146_Fossiliferous level of S 153_Limestone with S 160_ Conglomerate of S Petina nummulites- 147_ Fault of Alburni S 154_ forma- S Mountain -Il Figliolo tion-road to Castelcivita 148_Fossiliferous level of S 155_ Limestone with S Carbonara nummulites - road to Ottati

M=Main F= Focal C= Complementary S= Secondary

Legend Landscape areas National Park

MAIN GEOSITE 142_ karsic springs with fall of S. Maria Auso Ubication Altitude Accessibility Fruition Nation - 300 m. s.l. Region - feet trackway

Province - Distance car X recreation X

NATIONAL PARK boat restaurant 70 Km. from Municipality - S. ANGE- National Park other exposition LO A FASANELLA office

INTEREST (1= primary - 2 = secondary) GEOLOGICAL SCIENTIFIC OTHER Rare (conservation Structural Mineralogical experimentation) 1 Didactical 2 Stratigrafical Hydrogeological 1 Popularization Hikers/trecking

Geomorphological 1 Paleontological 2 Rappresentative Archeological

Sedimentological Karsic 1 Mondial/European 2 Naturalistic Paleoenviromental 2 Paleobiological National/Local Historical/religious

Cartography of Main Geosite DESCRIPTION In this landscape area outcrop all the carbonate formations of Albuno Pollino Unit from the Tri- assic to the Middle Miocene. Along the Tanagro’s valley terraced alluvial deposits are present. Within this landscape 19 individuals geoites are identified, linked epigean and hypogean karst processes, such as: the main geosite “S. Maria dell’Auso” which includes Auso’s springs with waterfall, the cave “morta” and other minor springs. The whole karst system is in communication with the geosite “Fumo- Frà Gentile”, (cave of “Fumo” and sinkhole of S. Mary, the caves of Our Lady and of “Ossa” mountain), through a series of ducts karst only minimally detected and explored. Two other geosites classified as focal and complementary, to their specific geoturistic features, are caves of Castelcivita and the caves of the Angel of Pertosa. The Caves of Catelcivita are connected to the “Mulino’s” springs and are also interesting for the speleol- ogy and archeology. They are important caves, which together with the caves “Ausino” and “Mulino, constitute a single karst system explored for about 6 km. In these caves outcrop: fossiliferous limestone to Rudiste and limestone to nummulites, the Trentinara formation as an example of transition strati- graphic and palaeoenvironmental changes between Eocenic (about 45 millions years ago) and Miocenic (about 20 millions years ago) soils. The cave is a succession of galleries, salons, bottlenecks and sinks, that chases one another, overlap, collapse in leaps and fearful chasms, creating unique details of their kind : lemon, the face of a cherub, the bunches of grapes, the big crib and the Pagoda, all wonderfully created by calcareous concretions. There are several rooms: a large cave called Luigi Vittorio Bertarelli (guide), which stands in perfect vertical a wonderful column; the desert which floor looks sandy and flat; the great Hall “Principe di Piemonte” particular for the presence of a column consisting of stylish hori- zontal piece disc; the tunnel “Boegan” a majestic stage consists of hundreds of stalactites and stalagmites columns; the Great Falls variously tinged with yellow and white. Several objects from Palaeolithic dis- coveries in recent years, suggest that the cave has been continuously inhabited since the Stone Age until the Iron age. Caves of the Angel of Pertosa are a karst area with various geomorphological speleological and archeo- logical emergencies. They present a development of about 3km from which emerges, along a lateral branch, an underground stream. These caves run in an impressive series of tunnels until it terminates in the many natural "rooms", all with a different characteristics. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, and per- haps also of Stone age, we can find the palafitte. The geotourist itinerary winds through shafts, tunnels, bottlenecks and large rooms, all features and unique in its kind and among the many to mention: the Hall of Wonders; the Great, heigh 24 metres; the Hall of sponges is unique in the world; the Hall of bats has very special and rare character. Other geosite is the Karst plateau of Alburni Mountains, vast karst area and, perhaps, the most important in Mediterranean area for the different geomorphological emergencies, valuable both for their scientific significance for the exemplary teaching. There are numerous caves and sinkholes such as: the cave of the Gentiles (-480m), the most profound of Alburni Mountain; the cave I Parchitiello; the cave of winter; the cave of “confine”; the sinkholes of Pila and of “Figliolo”; the cave of Mary; the cave of Serrone; the cave of Minollo; the two sinkholes of Campitelli; the cave of Falco that presenting an underground stream to 150 metres depth; the sink of Capostrada and the Cave Milan where were found Bear’s bones. The other geosites surveyed are mainly stratigraphic interest: Petina, fossiliferous level important both from the point of time (level markers of the Cretaceous about 100 Millions years ago) that paleontological and paleo biological; Car- bonara, fossiliferous levels (Eocene) with Cyclopoma gigas Agassiz; Postiglione, sequence type of carbonate platform Jurassic-Cretaceous; Calore River, river terraces as a result of erosive quaternary phase (last 2 Millions years); Sicig- nano Station, embanked meanders of Calore river; Timpa Prato and Ottati, examples of fossiliferous limestone levels ( about 20 and 40 Millions years ago); Castelcivita, outcrop of Trentinara formation, an example of stratigraphic steps and palaeoenvironmental changes in the conditions between Eocene (about 45 millions years ago-Ma) and Miocene (20 Milions years ago) soils; S. Rufo, stratigraphic transition between breccias and sandstones of ; Lady Mountain examples of fossiliferous limestone in Rudiste levels of about 70 millions years ago; Conglomerates of Au- letta; Controne, example of the Richter’s side. Geosite 142_ karsic springs with fall of S. Maria Auso Geosite 142_ karsic springs with fall of S. Maria Auso Bridge of Molino de fFeo

Geosite 143_ Caves of Castelcivita Geosite 143_ Caves of Castelcivita—stalactite and stalagmite

Geosite 143_ Caves of Castelcivita– the lake Geosite 143_ Caves of Castelcivita- stalactite and stalagmite

Geosite 144_ Caves of Pertosa Geosite 144_ Caves of Pertosa– the lake

Geosite 144_ Caves of Pertosa– the fall

Geosite 144_ Caves of Pertosa- stalactite and stalagmite

Geosite 144_ Caves of Pertosa- To go boating

Geosite 144_ Caves of Pertosa- stalactite and stalagmite Geosite 153_ Fossil– Clupavus

Geosite 146_ Fossil– Alburnia Petinen-