Description of the attraction
Pruno is the largest forested area of the Cilento region, located in the south of the Salerno province in the Italian Campania. Within Pruno, the entire communes of Valle del Angelo, Laurino and Piagine are located, while the small villages of Kannalonga, Campora, Rofrano, Sanza, Novi Velia and Monte San Giacomo only partially cover the forest. In addition, there are mountains on the territory of the forest - Vesalo, Monaco, Fayatella, Scanno del Tesoro, Raia del Pedale and Tuzzi, as well as the Calore River and several caves with samples of the most ancient primitive art - rock paintings.
Pruno is one of the most pristine natural areas of Campania and one of the least populated in southern Italy. It is part of the Cilento and Valle di Diano National Park, which in turn is a UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage site. The forest itself lies between the mountains of Monte Gelbison and Monte Cervati at an altitude of 600 to 1300 meters above sea level. Over the centuries, farmers and peasants settled in Pruno, and two waves of emigration were recorded in the late 19th and second half of the 20th century.
The population of the three main communes of Pruno is only about 40 people, and in fact they can be considered one commune, divided into three parts. The village of Laurino is located south of Croce di Pruno, the center of the forest. It consists of about 15 farms spread over a large area. Near Laurino, you can find a canyon with small caves of the Grotte di Sant Elena, and in the first half of the 19th century, the commune gained national fame as a kind of headquarters for the gang of Giuseppe Tardio. The commune of Valle del Angelo, also known as Pruno Casalettaro, lies near the Quarantana canyon. An interesting fact - for the first time, electricity appeared here only in 1992! Finally, Piagine, or Pruno Chianaro, is the smallest of all villages with a population of about 10 people.
