In the municipality of Cassano Irpino, in the province of Avellino, there is a group of springs composed of four springs that compete in a no-holds-barred beauty contest. Anyone who decides to visit the heart of Irpinia cannot escape the charm of the Cassano Irpino Springs, particularly the Pollentina Spring, which even featured on an Italian postage stamp.
The Cassano Irpino Springs
In Cassano Irpino, springs of pure, crystalline water offer visitors a natural spectacle of inestimable beauty. The Cassano Irpino group, located along the Calore River on the northern edge of the Picentini Mountains, is made up of the Bagno della Regina, Acqua del Prete, Peschiera, and Pollentina springs. They constitute the zero kilometer point of the Puglia Aqueduct, the largest drinking water supply system in Europe, which supplies four regions of Southern Italy: Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, and Molise.
The Queen’s Bath Spring takes its name from the legend according to which a Lombard princess, traveling to Puglia, enchanted by the charm of the place and the purity of its waters, decided to bathe in them. The Priest’s Water Spring, on the other hand, owes its name to a convent of the Benedictine monks of Montevergine who, to avoid any form of contamination, decided to channel the water exclusively for the use of their convent. The third spring is called Peschiera because in Roman times it was used for fish farming. Finally, the Pollentina Spring takes its name from the springs of pure oxygen that can be seen rising to the surface from underground.
To preserve the purity of the waters, which flow clear from the hydrogeological basin, covers have been installed. Among them, the most famous and evocative is the dome-shaped Pollentina spring, which creates a magical play of light that leaves visitors spellbound.
The Pollentina Spring
At the foot of the village of Cassano, protected by a characteristic dome-shaped covering, lies the Pollentina Spring. It is one of the very few “pressurized” springs where the water magically emerges from the subsoil pure and rich in oxygen. This distinguishes it from many flowing springs, where the water flows like a torrent.
The spectacle of the water gushing from the springs has a unique and surprising charm. The possibility of seeing the pools of pure oxygen rise to the surface and form a suggestive display of geometric shapes is one of the main reasons that has made the Pollentina spring a tourist destination.
The spectacular Cassano Irpino springs are featured on an Italian stamp, featuring a vignette depicting a panorama of the town of Cassano Irpino in the background and the enchanting Pollentina spring in the foreground.
