Castellana Caves

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40° 52′ 32″ N, 17° 8′ 59″ E

The caves, discovered in 1938 by the speleologist Franco Anelli. The Caves of Castellana open in south-eastern Murge, a limestone plateau dating back to the upper Cretaceous (between 100.5 to 66.0 million years) and rising 330 m above sea level. The area of Castellana is characterized by limestone, a sedimentary rock composed largely of calcium carbonate, known as Limestone of Altamura. The cave system is 3348 m in length and the point of maximum depth reaches 122 m. The temperature within the caves is about 18 °C. Castellana’s speleological complex is unique among other cave systems thanks to its three peculiarities: the Grave, the White Cave and the Concretions.