The Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo is the most important monument in Montescaglioso and one of the most significant in Basilicata. It stands on the area of the acropolis of the Italic and Greek city whose remains, urban structures and necropolis dating from the 7th century B.C. to the Roman occupation, have been traced in the cloisters and former gardens of the monastery. The great and majestic mass of the Cenobio, which still stands out to admiration for its architectural merits, existed as early as 1078, but the actual date of the start of construction (assumed to be in the 400s) is not known precisely.
It is known for certain that Umfredo d’Altavilla, son of Tancredi d’Altavilla, made donations of land to the monastery until 1095. When Umfredo died, the Monks, whose living conditions were very poor, asked for further donations from Rudolph, Umfredo’s son in 1097 and 1099. Rudolph’s widow, Countess Emma, with her son Ruggiero, continued the donations bestowed by the family members. Later Emma herself undertook to enlarge the convent church. At the same time many other donations came from other benefactors, who followed Emma’s example.
There was also no lack of interest from Pope Alexander III, who placed the monks of Montescaglioso under his protection. Thus there was a long period of flourishing until the 15th century when the decline of the Abbey caused by constant wars began. In 1484 Baldassare del Balzo was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV to put things in order, but he failed. Later Pirro del Balzo, count of Montescaglioso, then tried his hand at this arduous undertaking, forcing the few remaining monks to leave the Abbey, later repopulated with monks from the Congregation of St. Justina of Padua.
On August 5, 1910, the archbishops of Acerenza and Matera were granted the added title of abbots of Sant’Angelo di Montescaglioso. Since 1954 this title has been the prerogative of the archbishops of Matera alone.
