San Rufo

San Rufo is a village and comune in the province of Salerno, in the Campania region of southern Italy located in the Vallo di Diano. San Rufo extends over 31 square kilometres, much of which is mountainous or hilly terrain. With defence in mind, the old town was built at over 600 meters above sea level. Another reason for the choice of location was the marshy nature of the wide Vallo di Diano plain, which sits at an average 450 metres above sea level. The town itself was located, and the surrounding countryside settled, on the slopes of Monte Cocuzzo delle Puglie and the Alburni Mountains. The two ranges face each other, forming an angle whose tip is scored by a narrow, deep valley: the Valtorno. This pass between the two mountain ranges, called Passo della Sentinella (Salerno), has since prehistoric times provided a strategic link between Vallo di Diano and Cilento regions. Indeed, the ancient "Via degli Stranieri" ("Strangers' Way"), a place name that beautifully illustrates the importance of the location, once passed through here. The Spina dell'Ausino mountain, elevation 1,426 meters, and Serra Nuda mountain, elevation 1,283 meters, are around San Rufo. Until the early 19th century, the town was called Santo Rufo and then changed to San Rufo.