Tricarico, between the history of the Saracens and the poetry of the peasants

It is the town with an ancient Saracen identity. Earth from the beautiful and rich diocesan museum. And then the city of Rocco Scotellaro, mayor and socialist poet. A mine of riches everywhere. Let's talk about Tricarico, a deep materano.

History, poetry, faith.
Here is everything.

The faith is that of the beautiful cathedral or an enlightened bishop (monsignor Delle Nocche, of Neapolitan origin), of a historical and powerful diocese, still very extensive today and in the arc of the times really interesting as to the ability to catalyze in this area great artists and prestigious artistic commissions.

A historical center, moreover, not small.

In fact, there are several ridges on which the ancient center of Tricarico stands out.

The ducal palace is also beautiful, with an interesting civic and archaeological museum on the roots of the territory (from Serra del Cedro to Civita, also the wealth of sites involved in excavations).

More than one the churches worthy of note, beginning with that of the recently restored convent of Santa Chiara, with a very precious crypt frescoed in the '600, then passing through the complex of San Francesco d'Assisi, today a place of memory linked to Scotellaro, with the church however consecrated and active (while the poet can admire even the birth house).

But the ever-present diocesan museum is truly unmissable, with the cathedral dedicated to Maria Assunta (while San Pancrazio is the patron).

Hook up the history of this place thanks to the ancient doors and towers, above all, among the latter, the beautiful one of the IX-X century, Saracen (here it is in photo).

Here we go back to the village, crossing the tangles of the Arab neighborhoods of Tricarico.

Also striking is its remarkable state of health, remarkable considering the passage of the centuries.

With Scotellaro Tricarico it was then the land of peasant socialism.

Scotellaro is among the highest voices of poetic Lucania, with Albino Pierro (of Tursi), Carlo Levi (Turin, but exiled to Grassano and Aliano, always province of Matera), Leonardo Sinisgalli (of Montemurro, Pz).

Finally, do not leave Tricarico without a visit to the chapel of the Crucifix, in the monastery of Santa Chiara, by Pietro Antonio Ferro. Unmissable frescoes to be savored calmly. The calm, already: value emblem of slow travel.