Basilicata
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums
Lying between the toe and the heel of the boot of Italy, Basilicata is the instep. This is one of the most mountainous regions of Italy, and is home to the Pollino National Park, the biggest natural park in the country. The Sassi of Matera, the most outstanding troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean, are included on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. This is also one of the areas colonised by the ancient Greeks, part of what we now call Magna Grecia. The Provinces in Basilicata are: Matera and Potenza.
Archaeology & History Sites in Basilicata
Castle of Melfi
Founded in the 11th century by the Normans at a strategic point that allowed passage between Apulia and Campania, Melfi Castle are one of the most beautiful in Basilicata and the site of significant historical events. Five synods, known as the Councils of Melfi, occurred inside it. In the third of these, Pope Urban II called the first crusade to the Holy Land in 1089. Frederick II promulgated the famous Constitutions of Melfi in 1231, the legislative code of the kingdom of Sicily. Over time it was enlarged and renovated, achieving its multi-styled appearance and the ten imposing towers surrounding it. While inside, you can visit the National Archaeological Museum of Melfese, which houses the splendid Roman sarcophagus of Rapolla.
