10 Iconic Buildings to Explore in Basilicata

The castle of Venosa is a historic fortified building of the homonymous municipality in the province of Potenza . Commonly called Aragonese as it was built by Duke Pirro del Balzo during the period of the Aragonese dynasty , it is located at the southern end of the plateau occupied by the urban extension of the city.

Castel Lagopesole is one of the hamlets of Avigliano, in the province of Potenza, which has 652 inhabitants. Lagopesole is known for its Swabian past, linked to the figures of Frederick II and his son Manfredi and for the events related to the chief brigant Carmine Crocco. It is located on a hill 829 meters above sea level, overlooking the underlying Vitalba Valley. From the relief on which the famous castle stands, it is possible to clearly see Monte Vulture. In the hamlet, there was the Pesole

The Malconsiglio castle is the castle of Miglionico ( Matera ), built on a hill in the city starting from the VIII - IX century , in a strategic position, known for having hosted the conspiracy of the barons in 1485 . It had two successive extensions, the first in 1110 and the second in 1400 . It has the shape of a parallelogram , flanked by seven towers , some squares (the oldest), two towers and others circular, placed at the top of the building.

Built-in the Norman period, it is located on a peak about 15 km from Genzano di Lucania. The castle dominates a vast valley which was an important hinge between the territories of the Bradano dominated by the Byzantines and the northern territories of Basilicata dominated by the Lombards and Normans. Conceived by the Normans as a defensive system, it was the scene of a battle between Normans and Byzantines in which the latter were defeated.

The castle of Bernalda rises in the homonymous locality , in the province of Matera. The castle is located in a dominant position on the Basento valley facing south-west. It was built in 1470 but recent discoveries trace the presence of a fortification back to the Norman era and the shape of its towers suggests that it was even of Angevin origin . The current castle is the one built by Bernardino de Bernaudo, secretary of King Alfonso II of Naples.

The castle of Melfi is a monument of Basilicata owned by the Italian state, among the most important medieval castles in Italy. Its foundation, at least from the elements still visible, dates back to the Norman period and has undergone some changes over time, especially in the Angevin and Aragonese periods. The castle of Melfi is a monument of Basilicata owned by the Italian state, one of the most important castles medieval buildings of Italy.

Palazzo Lanfranchi is the greatest monument that represents the seventeenth - century period in Matera. In front of the door is the sculpture "The Drop" by Kengiro Azuma. The palace has undergone many renovations and has housed the Museo Della Grafica since 2007. The Museum houses the collection of the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe dell’Università di Pisa; initially curated in 1957 by Carlo Ludovico Ragghianti.

This is the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the Palaeolithic, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history. Matera is in the southern region of Basilicata.

The Sassi di Matera are two districts of Matera, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, made up of rock buildings and architecture dug into the rock of the Murgia of Matera and inhabited since prehistoric times. Together with the Civita district (built on the spur that separates the two Sassi), they constitute the historic center of the city of Matera. In 1993 they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Situated on a hill near the town centre, In Aragonese style, the castle, with a central male and two lower side towers, one and the other round, scalloped and equipped with loops, was built from 1501 by Giovanni Carlo Tramontano, Count of Matera. This 15th-century castle was left unfinished after the unpopular Count Tramontano, seemingly unaware that high taxes and his habit of bedding every new bride on her wedding night wasn't winning much favour, was killed by rebellious subjects.