Salandra: Clay Ravines, Churches and History
Accommodation in Salandra
Landscape Between Ravines and Forest
Around Salandra are clay ravines known locally as “cintoli”. The municipal forest area lies predominantly in the eastern part of the municipality, near the watershed between the Basento on the left riverbank slope and the Salandrella on the right riverbank slope. For orientation in the landscape, two different reference points are therefore relevant when planning your specific trip: the “cintoli” known around Salandra and the predominantly eastern municipal forest area. These landscape features give the town its own setting: Alongside historical traces, exploring the ravines, forest and the different riverbank slopes is also one of the aspects you can take into account when planning your trip.
Historical Traces in the Townscape
The present-day town of Salandra dates back to the Norman period. Remains of the walls and two arcades with brick vaults have survived from the medieval castle. The history at Monte Sant’Angelo goes back even further: The remains of an ancient village show that the area of Salandra has been inhabited by the Oenotrians since the 8th century BC.
Monastic History and Ancient Instruments
The Complesso dei Padri Riformati was built from 1573 onwards by the Revertera family at the instigation of Duke Francesco Revertera. The monastery in this complex included a seminary and was the seat of a theological university for a long time. An organ bears the date 1570 and is one of the oldest organs in Italy with a reliably documented date.
Madonna del Monte and Sacred Art
The annual Madonna del Monte festival is celebrated on the last Sunday in May and includes a procession through the forest. The Santuario Madonna del Monte stands on the remains of an ancient early Christian temple, which can be seen through glass panels in the floor. Remains of ancient Byzantine frescoes have survived in the apse of the Santuario. The festival tradition, visible archaeological traces and preserved wall paintings offer three clearly distinct ways of engaging with Salandra’s religious history.
Churches in the Historic Centre
The Chiesa Santa Maria Larabita in Salandra’s historic centre preserves a significant canvas painting by an unknown Lucanian painter, dated to the 16th to 17th century. The Chiesa di San Rocco was built in 1656 and preserves an ancient statue of Saint Roch. It also contains paintings and plaster statues from the Neapolitan school. At Santa Maria Larabita, the focus is on a canvas painting; at San Rocco, it is on an ancient statue of Saint Roch as well as other works in the form of paintings and plaster statues. When choosing a hotel in Salandra, these different highlights can help structure your personal planning: You can decide whether local history, sacred art, religious tradition or the landscape should take priority for you.
Further Destinations for Your Travel Planning
For further travel planning, you can also explore Pisticci, Ferrandina, Matera, Lido Quarantotto, Marconia, Montescaglioso, Bernalda and Grassano.
For the higher-level travel overview: Matera.
