Pruno (Cilento)

Pruno[2] is a forest in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is the largest woodlands of central Cilento region. The hamlets (frazioni) with this name are situated in the municipalities of Laurino, Valle dell'Angelo and Piaggine, and are considered a singular village.

For other uses, see Pruno (disambiguation).

Pruno
Frazione
View of Pruno di Laurino
Pruno
Location of Pruno in Italy
Coordinates: 40°16′N 15°24′E
Country Italy
Region Campania
Province Salerno (SA)
Comune Laurino
Valle dell'Angelo
Piaggine
Elevation1,100 m (3,600 ft)
Population
 • Total40
Demonym(s)Prunesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
84057 (Laurino)
84070 (Valle dell'Angelo)
84065 (Piaggine)
Dialing code(+39) 0974
Panorama from the height of "Croce di Pruno"

Pruno represents one of the most unpolluted natural areas of Campania and one of the lesser inhabited territories of Southern Italy. It is protected within the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, and is part of the Cilento World Heritage Site.

History

The area of Pruno has been inhabited for centuries by farmers. It had two periods of emigration during the end of 19th century and the second half of 20th.

Geography

Pruno is situated in south of the Province of Salerno, in the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park. The forest is located between Mount Gelbison and Mount Cervati mounts, at elevations between 600–1,300 metres (2,000–4,300 ft) above mean sea level.

The area is extended not only in the comunes of Valle dell'Angelo, Laurino and Piaggine; but also in Cannalonga, Campora, Rofrano, Sanza, Novi Velia and Monte San Giacomo; and is surrounded by other forest areas. The mountains of the areas are Vesalo, Monaco, Faiatella, Scanno del Tesoro, Raia del Pedale, and Tuzzi di Monte Piano. There are also the springs of Calore River, and some caves with prehistoric rock art.

The middle of the forest is known as Croce di Pruno (Cross of Pruno), a crossroad between the provincial road Piaggine-Rofrano (one of two completely covered with asphalt) and some trails, as the Inghiottitoio (Swallow), to Laurino / Campora (also covered with asphalt), and others to Cannalonga and San Menale. Major plains are the Piana of Roti and Campolongo.

Villages of Pruno

Population in the three rural villages of Pruno amounts almost in 40 inhabitants. It could be considered as a singular scattered village divided into 3 parts, for its common history and also due to a legislative singularity for Italian municipal law.

The villages of Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo and Pruno di Piaggine are situated in the municipal territory of Laurino, but these hamlets are not exclaves of their municipality. However their inhabitants have the citizenship of Valle and Piaggine, and ownership of their houses.[3][4]

Pruno di Laurino

Pruno di Laurino (40.261147°N 15.404824°E / 40.261147; 15.404824), locally named simply Pruno, is situated along the Piaggine-Rofrano road, in south of the Croce di Pruno. It is composed by an extended group of circa 15 scattered farmhouses and populated by 25 people. Nearby the village there is a canyon with some little caves (Grotte di Sant'Elena) and the village was interested by the phenomena of the Brigandage in the Two Sicilies[5] in the first half of 19th century. It was in fact the headquarters for a band of brigands guided by Giuseppe Tardio.[6] It is the most populated side of Pruno and counts a rural school closed in 1960s and restored into 2000s as historical building. Its main road belongs to the municipality of Rofrano, consisting in a strip of territory.[7] For this reason the village is sometimes also named Pruno di Rofrano.

Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo

Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo (40.251993°N 15.395941°E / 40.251993; 15.395941), locally named Pruno Casalettaro, is a rural village, one of the last in Europe. It is located in a detour of Piaggine-Rofrano road, on a trail to Cannalonga and close to the canyon of Quarantana river. It is composed of circa 8 farmhouses and populated by 12–15 ancient people, with a rhythm of life similar to the one of 19th century,[8] where electrical energy was fasted only in 1992. The community, dedicated to animal husbandry and agriculture, is de facto autonomous and the village is indicated as a point of touristic interest.[9]

Pruno di Piaggine

Pruno di Piaggine (40.241929°N 15.389606°E / 40.241929; 15.389606), locally named Pruno Chiainaro, is the smallest of the three villages. It is situated on a trial from Pruno di Valle dell'Angelo to Rofrano via San Menale, below the trial to Cannalonga and nearby the canyon of Quarantana. It is composed by some scattered farmhouses and the population amounts of 10 inhabitants circa. A few km west it is the municipal border of Novi Velia, below the area of Gelbison mountain.[10]

  • View of Pruno
    di Valle dell'Angelo
  • View of Pruno di Piaggine
  • Farmhouse in
    Pruno di Laurino
  • Farmhouse near Pruno
    di Valle dell'Angelo
  • Farmhouse near
    Pruno di Piaggine
  • Forest area in
    Croce di Pruno
  • Sunset on the road
    upon Mount Vesalo
  • Green plain on the road
    upon Monte Vesalo
  • Piana di Roti
  • A wood nearby
    Piana di Campolongo

See also

References
  1. Average elevation, from 600 to 1,300 amsl
  2. Name meaning the fruit of prunus tree in Cilentan dialect, which is "prugna" in italian
  3. (in Italian) Info on Luarino municipal site Archived 17 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. (in Italian) Info of Valle dell'Angelo municipal site Archived 21 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. (in Italian) Historical info on web page of Laurino Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. (in Italian) Schedule about Giuseppe Tardio on brigantaggio.net
  7. 2495227175 Pruno di Laurino on OpenStreetMap
  8. (in Italian) Info on the web page of Valle dell'Angelo Archived 21 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  9. (in Italian) The natural environment of Pruno (la Città di Salerno)
  10. 2495227176 Pruno di Piaggine on OpenStreetMap
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