Ofanto
Ofanto | |
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Origin | Torella dei Lombardi |
Mouth | Adriatic Sea, near Barletta |
Basin countries | Italy |
Length | 170 km (110 mi) |
Source elevation | 715 m (2,346 ft) |
Mouth elevation | 0 |
Avg. discharge | 15 cubic metres per second (530 cu ft/s) |
Basin area | 2,780 km2 (1,070 sq mi) |
The Ofanto, known in ancient times as Aufidus, is a 170-kilometre (110 mi) river in southern Italy that flows through the regions of Campania, Basilicata, and Apulia, into the Adriatic Sea near Barletta. Near the town of Canosa di Puglia there is an ancient Roman bridge over the river which is well known all over the south of Italy.
Length
The river's source is on the Irpinia Plateau, at 715 metres (2,346 ft) above sea level, below the plain of the Angel, near Avellino. From there it runs through parts of Campania and Basilicata into Apulia, where it is at its strongest, finally flowing into the Adriatic Sea near Barletta. At the end of its journey to the sea, the river ends in a delta and an estuary. The River Ofanto can have a torrential flow at times, with major floods along its course in the autumn and winter, thanks to heavy rainfall, but in the summer its flow can be remarkably slight. Despite its considerable length and the extent of its basin, the average flow of water at the river mouth is fairly low, less than 15 cubic metres per second (530 cu ft/s).
Gallery
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Roman bridge of Canosa di Puglia
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An ancient Roman bridge near Monteverde, Campania
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Through Cairano
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Oil painting Lungo l'Ofanto (1870) by Giuseppe de Nittis (1848–1884), Pinacoteca De Nittis, Barletta, Italy
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Tabula Peutingeriana showing ancient Aufidus and Via Appia
Coordinates: 41°21′N 16°13′E / 41.350°N 16.217°E