Location: Bossea Localita, Commune Frabosa Soprana, Piedmont Map
Tel. 0174 34 92 40
Open: Mon- Sat 10am- 4:30am
Sun public holidays 10am- 5:30pm
Closed: Dec 25, 1 Jan
Prices: Adults 10 Euro
Children (under 10 yo) 7 Euro
Tourists /w disabilites Free
Bossea Cave is located in Commune Frabosa Soprana, Piedmont province of Italy. This is the first cave in Italy that was opened to the public in 1874 after it was first discovered and explored in 1840 under supervision of Domenico Mora. Bossea Cave is roughly divided between the upper and lower parts that are separated by Ernestina lake and a waterfall that flows into the lake. Calcium carbonate that is dissolved in the waters of many underground streams created an unique cave with picturesque geological formations. Bossea Cave system measured more than 2 km (1.2 mi) in length. In the concert hall of this underground system you can find a 15,000 year old skeleton of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) that once called this cave his home. This animal is currently extinct, presumably due to human hunting.
The Bossea Caves are part of a karst system located between Prato Nevoso and the Corsaglia stream, in the municipality of Frabosa Soprana in the province of Cuneo; they are about 2 km long and have a difference in height of 700 m. Inside they have diversified environments, such as underground streams and lakes, cyclopean boulders, stalagmite columns, stalactites and calcareous concretions.
The first explorations of the cave
date back to the first half of the 19th century; a few years later
Domenico Mora reached Lake Ernestina, in 1874 an expedition passed
the waterfall reaching the canyon of the torrent and in 1949 the
exploration of the main branches was completed. Some speleological
groups still continue to discover new ravines.
The cave was
opened to the public in 1874 and an internal lighting system was
installed in the second half of the 20th century.
Inside the cave the typical fauna of the karst environments is found; there are about fifty endemic species of the biotope, including Plectogona sanfilippoi (Diplopoda), Eukoenenia strinatii (Palpigradi) and Troglohyphantes pedemontanus (Linyphiidae).
Cave bears frequented the site between 80,000 and 12,000 years ago to spend the winter hibernation and give birth. On some walls you can see the signs of deep nails.
In the cave there is a laboratory managed by the Geo-resources and Territory Department of the Polytechnic of Turin in collaboration with the local section of the CAI and the ARPA of the Aosta Valley.