Camerano, hilltown near the Adriatic in Le Marche
Ah, Italy “the land of the endless discoveries.” One never finishes discovering the wonders “above ground” – let alone underground! And sometimes, serendipity leads you to yet another discovery.
Gray weather at the seaside last weekend prompted us to head out for some exploration. What wonders we found in a seemingly nondescript Adriatic seaside town, Camerano, whose very name is linked to its suprising labyrinthine maze of subterranean grottoes and tunnels, used by its first inhabitants, the Piceni, in the 9th-c. B.C., our guide, Daniele told us.
“Camerone” derives from the Latin and means “underground vaulted space”, Daniele told us at the start of our tour, aptly called. “Le Grotte di Camerano, la memoria del sottosuolo” (“The Grottoes of Camerano, remembrances of the underground” or literally, “undersoil”).
Ribbed vault with sun and the moon in the center
Daniele pointed out to us finely-rounded domes, barrel vaults, carved ribbed vaults converging on a mysterious sun/moon symbol, circular halls, ornate friezes, curious religious symbols and exquisitely- carved columns.
Our meanders in the underground labyrinth took us to a 17th-c. cistern, a medieval prison, a vaulted medieval church complete with apse and crypt, a 17th-c. private family chapel with black alabaster altar, and a secret initiation grotto for Masonics.
In 1944, all three thousand Cameranesi hid in the sandstone sotterranei – each family occupying a niche in the underground tunnels – for eighteen days as the British and Germans battled above.
Vaulted medieval church fascinates visitors to the Camerano underground
Since 2008, le Grotte di Camerano have been opened for guided visits, disco now closed.
The labyrinthine grottoes and tunnels are silent now except for the subdued voices of guides with small groups of fascinated visitors.
Read about another Marches favorite
Click here to read why we love Sirolo, near Camerano
Read about a favorite Sirolo spot
