Basilicata’s regional capital, Potenza, has been ravaged by earthquakes (the last in 1980) and, as the highest town in the region, broils in summer and shivers in winter. You may find yourself passing through as it’s a major transport hub.
Potenza is a city and comune in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata (former Lucania).
Capital of the Province of Potenza and the Basilicata region, the city is the highest regional capital and one of the highest provincial capitals in Italy, overlooking the valley of the Basento river in the Apennine Mountains of Lucania, east of Salerno. Its territory is bounded by the comuni of Anzi, Avigliano, Brindisi Montagna, Picerno, Pietragalla, Pignola, Ruoti, Tito, and Vaglio Basilicata.
HIGLIGHTS
Potenza in Basilicata spreads across a high ridge 819 metres above sea level making it the highest regional capital in Italy. For this reason the weather often appears uninviting – at least when we’ve passed through – but this summer we finally stopped to have a look around.
The guidebooks don’t really recommend a visit, unless you have to change trains. Potenza has been ravaged by war and earthquakes, and very few of the ancient town’s original buildings have survived. So, even if Potenza can trace its roots back to pre-Roman times, don’t expect to find historic architectural and archaeological gems.
Instead Potenza is a place to relax and enjoy a slice of authentic south Italian living. Get to know the people, who are generally friendly and talkative even if the local dialect presents some challenges. Or follow these suggestion of five things to do in Potenza.
Ponte sul Basento
Musmeci Bridge designed by the namesake architect is famous because it not present pillars, but ramifications with just one once from 30 meters thickness and four arches contiguous.
San Gerardo Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Gerard’s Gate (also known as Metropolitan Cathedral) is the main church of the city of Potenza, and co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Potenza-Lucan-Marsico Nuovo, which covers much of the territory of Lucania. The cathedral was built in the thirteenth century, on the remains of an early Christian church dating from the third to sixth centuries, in turn built on the remains of a Roman building. Initially Romanesque, with three naves, was first dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of the Assumption, and later consecrated to St. Gerard’s Gate, the patron saint of the city of Potenza. The present building, however, the neo-classical style, with an elegant facade with two orders culminating in a tympanum, dating back to the renovation of the late eighteenth century, entrusted to Antonio Magri, a pupil of Vanvitelli, and the post-earthquake restoration operated, the ‘last time, in 1985.
San Michele Arcangelo’s Church
The Church of St. Michael the Archangel of Potenza is one of the buildings, at least in its original construct, no longer visible, cult oldest of Potenza, Basilicata. The original church, in fact, dates back even to the fifth century (about 492-496), under the episcopate of Erculenzio, as evidenced by a mosaic, well preserved, found during the excavations that took place in the new church. The building ‘current’, however, is ancient and rich history, the Lombard-Romanesque style, probably built between the tenth and twelfth centuries, whose presence is testified in an official act of 1178. From the beautiful facade two orders and four zones, separated by pilasters and with the classic shape ‘hut’, is characterized by the use of stone, which returns a remarkable color consistency, as well as the inside, with naves separated by arches, covered by a vault, and culminating in an apse illuminated by external light.
San Gerardo Temple
The Temple of San Gerardo, otherwise known as Kiosk of San Gerardo, is a monument dedicated to the patron saint of the city of Potenza, located in the central Piazza Matteotti. It was probably built at the turn of the first and second half of the nineteenth century, designed by Antonio Busciolano, architect of Potenza, who proposed it as a constructive model pentagonal structure, with the back closed, with a valuable stained-glass window, while the front is supported by five columns with Corinthian capitals, which support an entablature polychrome marble and decorated with floral shapes of angels. At the center of the temple it is placed the statue of St. Gerard, supported by a pillar, in blessing. The statue is ideally ‘framed’ from the window, which is also supported by two Corinthian columns.
Guevara Tower
Guevara Tower of Potenza is the last remaining testimony of the ancient castle of Potenza, the defensive structure that formed the original core of the city, and demolished gradually over the centuries. The castle was built at an unknown but probably at the end of the first millennium, and at that same time the tower was already existing and suggested that it was built in the ninth century, and was for centuries the center of the defensive systems and sighting citizens, to like the struggles between families and rival kingdoms for control of Potenza and its surroundings. With the arrival of the Aragonese, the city came under the control of the Guevara family, who maintained the use of the tower within the restored walls, only to change the intended use over the centuries. The building has remained largely intact until nowadays, resisting even very strong earthquakes, like those of 1980, and is now used as an art gallery and cultural structure to use.
Ponte di San Vito
The Bridge of San Vito in Potenza is an ancient artifact that dates back to late in its main part imperiale. Wanted by Diocletian along the route of the Via Aerculea leading from Venosa to Eraclea and crosses the river Bisento. Come there: By car follow in the direction of the industrial area of Potenza (south-east of the center).
Main sights
- Potenza Cathedral: The Duomo di San Gerardo, renovated in the 18th century. The cathedral still houses the rose window and the apse from the original 12th-century structure.
- San Francesco: church founded in 1274. The portal and the bell tower date from the 15th century. The church houses the De Grasis sepulchre and a Madonna in Byzantine style (13th century).
- The Torre Guevara, the last remnant of the old castle. It is now used to stage art exhibitions.
- The Palazzo Loffredo, a 17th-century noble residence. It is now the seat of the “Dinu Adameșteanu” National Archaeological Museum.
- Three gates of the old city walls, now demolished. The gates are the Porta San Giovanni, the Porta San Luca and the Porta San Gerardo.
- San Michele: 11th-12th century Romanesque-style church.
- Santa Maria del Sepolcro: church.
- The ruins of a Roman villa in the Poggio Tre Galli quarter.
- Musmeci Bridge, a unique construction, monument of modern civil engineering.
