| Montevergine funicular | |
|---|---|
 Exterior of the lower station | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | Region of Campania |
| Locale | Campania, Italy |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 2 |
| Service | |
| Services | 1 |
| Operator(s) | Autoservizi Irpini |
| History | |
| Opened | 1956 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 1,669 m (5,476 ft) |
| Maximum incline | 66% |
The Montevergine funicular (Italian : Funicolare di Montevergine) is a funicular railway that connects the town of Mercogliano with the mountain and catholic sanctuary of Montevergine, in Campania, Italy.
The idea of linking the shrine of Montevergine with the centre of Mercogliano via a funicular railway originated in the nineteenth century, based on an idea of Abbot Guglielmo De Cesare. By 1882 a third of the construction work had already been achieved, but as a result of economic problems and the outbreak of the First World War the work was interrupted. It was not until 1926 that the work was restarted, under the direction of Abbot Ramiro Marcone, who founded a company to complete the line. In 1929 the company, the property of the monastic community, changed its name to the Società Immobiliare Irpina, and obtained the concession to run the funicular for 50 years. [1]
The outbreak of World War II stopped the work once again, and the system was only opened only in 1956 by Abbot Ludovico Anselmo Tranfaglia. In 1973, due to the ageing and deterioration of the line, the Ministry of Transport ordered the line to be closed for renovation, which lasted until the line reopened in 1981. In the meantime the 50 year concession had expired, and the line was purchased by the Region of Campania. [1]
The line reopened on 23 July 2012 after a general overhaul, but was again closed on the 13 October 2012, because of the need for unexpected maintenance and a lack the necessary funds, estimated at €1.5 million, to undertake it. After completion of track restoration and modernisation of the cars, the line reopened on 25 June 2016. [2] [3]
The line is operated by the Autoservizi Irpini, the regional bus operator, and has the following parameters: [2] [4]
| Number of cars | 2 |
| Number of stops | 2 |
| Configuration | Single track with passing loop |
| Track length | 1,669 metres (5,476 ft) |
| Rise | 734 metres (2,408 ft) |
| Maximum gradient | 66% |
The line runs twice an hour on Sundays and public holidays, and every 45 minutes on other days. Service is provided between 09:00 and 17:00. [3]
The Mondovì Funicular is a funicular railway in the town of Mondovì, Piedmont, Italy. It links Breo, the old quarter, with Piazza, the upper part of the town.
The Trieste–Opicina tramway is an unusual hybrid tramway and funicular railway in the city of Trieste, Italy. It links Piazza Oberdan, on the northern edge of the city centre, with the village of Villa Opicina in the hills above.
The Montevergine, also known as Partenio or Monti di Avella, is a limestone massif in Campania, central Italy, part of the Apennine chain. It is located near Avellino, in the comune of Mercogliano. It has slopes covered by chestnut and beech trees, up to some 1,480 m above sea level.
The Central Funicular, is one of four funiculars in the public transportion system of Naples, Italy. The system is a true funicular: an inclined railway with two passenger cars, connected via cables, operating in concert.
The Chiaia Funicular is one of four funiculars in the public transportion system of Naples, Italy. Each system is a true funicular: an inclined railway with two passenger cars connected via cables, operating in concert.
The Mergellina Funicular, is one of four operating funiculars in the public transportion system of Naples, Italy. The system is a true funicular: an inclined railway with two passenger cars, connected via cables, operating in concert.
The Montesanto Funicular, is one of four operating funiculars in the public transportion system of Naples, Italy. The system is a true funicular: an inclined railway with two passenger cars connected via cables, operating in concert.
The Lugano Città–Stazione funicular, Funicolare Lugano Città–Stazione, or Sassellina, is a funicular railway in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The line's upper station is located within the main railway station of Lugano, and the lower station is on Piazza Cioccaro in the historic city centre below. It is one of the busiest funicular lines in Switzerland, carrying 2.4 million passengers in 2007.
The Como–Brunate funicular is a funicular railway that connects the city of Como with the village of Brunate in Lombardy, Italy. The line has operated since 1894, and is used by both tourists and local residents.
The Monte Brè funicular, or Funicolare Cassarate - Monte Brè, is a funicular railway in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. The line links a lower station in the Lugano suburb of Cassarate with an upper station at 883 m near the summit of the Monte Brè. The top yields views of the city and Lake Lugano.
The Catanzaro funicular is a funicular railway in the city of Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy. It connects the upper part of the city, at Piazza Roma, with Catanzaro Sala via an intermediate stop at Piano Casa. The line carries some 580,000 passengers per year.
The Certaldo Funicular is a funicular railway in the town of Certaldo, Tuscany, Italy. It links a terminus in Certaldo Basso, some 200 metres (660 ft) from Certaldo railway station, with a terminus in Certaldo Alto. The line opened on 1 July 1999, and is operated by Tiemme Toscana Mobilità.
The Zecca–Righi funicular is a funicular railway in the Italian city of Genoa connecting the Largo della Zecca, on the edge of the historic city centre, to several stations on the slope of the Righi hill. The line is one of several true funiculars in the city, including the Sant'Anna funicular and the Quezzi funicular, although the Principe–Granarolo rack railway is also sometimes erroneously described as a funicular.
The Quezzi elevator is a public inclined elevator with variable slope in the Quezzi quarter of Genoa, Italy. The elevator opened in May 2015 and connects the lower terminus at Via Pinetti to the terminus at Via Fontanarossa, with an intermediate stop at Portazza.
The Vellone–Sacro Monte funicular is a funicular railway in the town of Varese in the Italian region of Lombardy. It connects the valley of the Vellone river with the village and sanctuary of Sacro Monte di Varese.
The Capri funicular is a funicular railway on the island of Capri, in the Campania region of Italy. The line connects the Marina Grande on the coast with the Piazza Umberto I in the centre of the island. It is 670 metres (2,200 ft) long and includes a 68-metre (223 ft) tunnel and a 50-metre (160 ft) viaduct, climbing a vertical distance of 139 metres (456 ft).
The Lugano degli Angioli funicular was a funicular railway and inclined lift in the city of Lugano in the Swiss canton of Ticino. It linked a lower terminus near the lakeside and the church of Santa Maria degli Angioli with an upper terminus adjacent to the Hotel Bristol. The upper station was on the third floor of a tower, linked with a footbridge to the hotel. The line had a single track and single car, which was balanced by a vertically operating counterweight in the tower.
The Biella funicular is a funicular railway in the city of Biella, Piedmont, Italy. It connects a lower station on Via Curiel, in the city's Biella Piano quarter, with an upper station on Via Avogadro in the city's medieval Biella Piazzo quarter.
The Principe–Granarolo rack railway is a rack railway in the Italian city of Genoa that connects via del Lagaccio, near the Genoa Piazza Principe railway station, to the Granarolo hills. The line is sometimes erroneously described as a funicular and listed alongside the city's Zecca–Righi funicular, the Sant'Anna funicular and the Quezzi funicular. The line is managed by AMT Genova, which manages the city's public transport.
The Verona funicular, also known as the San Pietro Castle funicular, is an incline lift in the Veronetta district of Verona, Italy. The lift previously operated as a funicular railway and is still officially named after the funicular.
Media related to Montevergine funicular at Wikimedia Commons