Grotta di Acquasanta

Useful Information

Location:	Acque termali, Via delle Terme, 42, 63095 Acquasanta Terme AP. (42.7711770, 13.4097421)
Open:	no restrictions. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Sandro Galdenzi, Filippo Cocchioni, Giampaolo Filipponi, Luciana Morichetti, Stefania Scuri, Rosario Selvaggio, Mario Cocchioni (2010): The sulfidic thermal caves of Acquasanta Terme (central Italy), Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v. 72, no. 1, p. 43–58. pdf DOI
Address:	Grotta di Acquasanta, Via delle Terme, 59, 63095 Acquasanta Terme AP, Tel: +39-0736-801268. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The Grotta di Acquasanta is more or less not existent any more. The river cave or karst spring produces sulfur rich thermal water. The cave was visited since Roman times for bathing, probably much longer. According to Titus Livius, the consul Lucius Munatius Plancus was healed in 50 BC with the waters of Acquasanta after having tried similar treatments in Tuscany in vain. Charlemagne visited the spa in 9th century during his journey to Rome for his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor, according to the historian Francesco Antonio Marcucci. At this time there was still a natural cave from which water with a temperature of 30 °C emerged. At the end of the 18th century the cave was incorporated into a spa building named Piscina e Grotta Sudatoria (Swimming Pool and Sweat Grotto), which used the thermal water to heat the building and for bathing. At the end of the 19th century the modern spa was built about 100 m away, at the river. They still use the same spring, but now the cave is not visible any more, the water is transported to the spa in pipes.

We were not sure if we should list the site, as there is actually no cave any more. Nevertheless, there is a sort of door-like opening, which is a resurgence. Below the opening is a pool in the riverbed. The hot thermal water emerges from a canal in the stonewalled basement of the road, the hot waterfall formed a sort of pool, the overflow goes directly into the Tronto river. The colour of this water is quite different to the water of the river, and the mixing of the different colours downstream is quite a sight. If you don't care for the comfort of the spa, you can bring your swimsuit and have a bath in this pool for free, and actually many visitors do exactly this. Some even erected a sort of dam from boulders of the riverbed, to deepen the pool.

We interpret this huge opening as the artificial cover of the original cave, and entering through this hole would probably lead directly to the natural cave. Nevertheless, we strongly discourage this, as the sulfur fumes of the thermal water and the heat are definitely dangerous. Fortunately, the opening is 4 m high in a vertical wall, so it is not entered accidentally.

The area has numerous karst-related features, the most prominent and economically important ones are the numerous tufa deposits. They are called travertino (travertine) in Italian, and they are quarried for various uses. The tufa is a limestone deposit created by the minerals of a limestone rich karst spring. The springs here are not only limestone rich, they are also hot, so they have even more dissolved limestone, which is deposited when the water cools down. The tufa is used for buildings as well as for artworks. Its unique structure is characteristic for the historic centers of the towns in the area.

The soft tufa was also used to cut cellars or cave houses into the rock. Most likely, it was a combination of quarrying rocks and creating an underground room for further use. One of those cave houses is the Cantina di Nenè restaurant on Piazza XX Settembre, 7 in Acquasanta Terme. Definitely worth a visit when exploring the karst-related sights of the area.

If you actually want to see some caves, there are actually dozens close to the city. Numerous are located in the nearby gorge Gole del Garrafo.