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Historic Cities of Upper Bradano

The hills and mountains of the upper Bradano and Basento valleys are still partially covered by a discreet woodland. The hills intensely cultivated with cereals give way to slopes covered with oaks and even the climate becomes cooler and temperate.
In this bucolic picture Tricarico presents itself, sitting on the ridge that divides the water catchment areas of Bradano and Basento. Not much is known about the origins of Tricarico but in the immediate vicinity of the Arab-Norman town there is the so-called Civita, which was probably the Roman administrative center of Lucania. Moreover Tricarico has one of the most important and best preserved medieval historical centers in Basilicata.
Not far way, Campomaggiore is a very special place and walking through the ruins of this center destroyed by a landslide with a view of the Gallipoli-Cognato forest makes this excursion more poetic and romantic.
On the way to Acerenza, a wonderful surprise stands on the top of the mountains: the ruins of an important Lucanian center, Rossano di Vaglio. True archaelogical jewel this historic site allow to understand the world that existed prior the Roman conquest.
Finally Acerenza, the fortress city, eagle's nest, cathedral city. Beautiful and imposing, it dominates the surrounding landscape. An unforgettable journey.

Destinations

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Tricarico

The arabic Tricarico overlooks the Basento river valley. Home of the mayor-poet Rocco Scotellaro, the city is known for "L’màsh-k-r", figures disguised as cows and bulls protagonists of the carnival. The medieval old town is among the most important and probably the best preserved in Basilicata, composed by the Arab districts Ràbata and Saracena and the Norman Monte Piano and the Civita, where roads and alleys take on different aspects depending on the dominating power by which they were set up. Among the numerous churches, one of the main Marian places in the region stands out: the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Fonti, reached out by many devotees on foot every year. The tall Norman Tower attached to the castle was probably built between the ninth and tenth centuries as a fortified fortress then modified during the Norman-Swabian period between XI and XIII. The landscape is surrounded by extensive woods populated by majestic and imposing oaks.

Acerenza

"The eagle's nest of high Acerenza": this is how the Latin poet Horace described one of the most beautiful towns in the Upper Bradano area, proudly perched on a tuff base at over eight hundred meters above sea level. This strategic position has been, for centuries, the cross and delight of this town, disputed by Langobards and Byzantines, conquered by the Normans, owned by the Swabians, by the Angevins and finally by the Aragonese. His Diocese is one of the oldest in southern Italy: archbishop Arnaldo, former abbot of Cluny, France, stayed here and dreamed of a majestic cathedral for Acerenza, capable of ruling the valleys, and for this French architects and local workers completed the church, making it so breathtakingly beautiful, as mysterious as enchanting.

Campomaggiore

On February 10, 1885, the dream of the city of utopia, Campomaggiore, was abruptly broken. A slow, inexorable landslide movement forced the population to abandon their homes to seek refuge elsewhere. No casualties occurred but the village was reduced to a pile of rubble. Life plans, hopes of progress, the enchantment of a magical place were interrupted. Maybe. Or maybe not. Perhaps utopia is inherent to dream, it is something that walks on the legs of the pure, of visionaries, it is a kite on a flyby over a wheat field: the sweet and bitter story of Campomaggiore Vecchio, a fairy tale for dreamers.

Vaglio

In the period between the eighth and seventh centuries BC, as happens on most of the hills dominating the great Lucanian rivers, in Serra San Bernardo groups of shepherds, who practice subsistence agriculture, constitute a real village made by huts in pressed clay.
The cultural relationships determined by the foundation of the Greek colonies on the Ionian coast explain the presence of Etruscan-Campania bronze artefacts, ceramic vases and ivory and amber objects in contemporary funeral items found in Vaglio. In particular, the most recent excavations in Braida have brought to light the remains of a very rich necropolis, which returns ceramics and weapons, such as helmets, shields and greaves of Corinthian origin, together with iron swords of Italic type.

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