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 A town and episcopal see of Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno, 6 m. N.W. by rail from the town of Salerno. It lies fairly high in a richly cultivated valley, surrounded by wooded hills, and is a favorite resort of foreigners in spring and autumn, and of the Neapolitans in summer. A mile to the south-west is the village of Corpo di Cava (1970 ft.), with the Benedictine abbey of La Trinit della Cava, founded in 1025 by St Alferius. The church and the greater part of the buildings were entirely modernized in 1796. The old Gothic cloisters are preserved. The church contains a fine organ and several ancient sarcophagi.
The town is generally considered a "zip-fastener" between the
plan of Nocera - Sarno and the Amalfi coast, and it lies in a
green valley. At 198 m. above sea level it is surrounded eastward
by Mounts Picentini, mainly dolomitic, (in particular Mount
Caruso, Mount Sant'Adiutore, Hill of the Telegraph, Mount San
Liberatore, and Hill of Croce) and westward by Mounts Lattari,
mainly carbonatic (in particular Mount Finestra, Mount
Sant'Angelo, Hill of San Martino and Mount Crocella). The
highest peak is Mount Finestra (1139 m. above sea level), which
is characterized by a natural hole which gives the mount the
name. |
