Rivello Among Churches, History and Landscapes

Rivello is a destination for travellers who want to discover Italian history in churches, exhibitions and visible traces of the past.

Churches with a History of Their Own

Construction of a monastery for the Observants began at the Monastero di Sant’Antonio in 1515, after the people of Rivello and its mayor had requested the construction from the responsible ecclesiastical authority. The portico door is designed in the Durazzo-Catalan style and has 36 carved panels with rosette motifs. Frescoes in the upper section depict episodes from the lives of Saint Anthony and Saint Francis of Assisi; Girolamo Todisco da Abriola painted them between 1616 and 1634.

The crypt beneath the Church of San Nicola has three naves separated by 34 rustic columns made of local stone. King Ferdinand II declared it a national monument. The church also contains a throne of Saint Nicholas, created around 1930 by artisans from Rivello under the direction of Francesco Ferrari.

The Church of Santa Maria del Poggio contains a 1720 Descent from the Cross by the local painter Salvatore Ferrari and an 18th-century Last Supper attributed to the school of Luca Giordano. The church probably followed the Greek rite until 1588.

Local History and Traces of the Past

The visible remains of the Fontana dei Longobardi are part of the town’s history. The document “Restituta Libertas” sealed Rivello’s separation from its feudal lord, Don Oronzo Pinelli, in 1719. The present-day town centre lies opposite the former settlement, which had developed a few centuries earlier on Serra Città hill. Along the Noce River, water-powered copper and iron works supplied Rivello’s hundred workshops with semi-finished products.

The permanent exhibition “Greci e indigeni tra Noce e Lao” explores the ancient trade and cultural relations between Greek and indigenous communities in the Lagonegrese area. A 14.6-kilometre stage of the Sentiero Italia CAI, SI T07, connects Lago Sirino with Rivello. The former railway line of the Calabro-Lucano railway is now a cycle path and regional hiking trail 660. The Torrente Bitonto rises on the slopes of Monte Sirino, flows through the municipality of Rivello and empties into the Noce River.

Everyday Culture and Getting Around

Soperzata is still made in Rivello today using traditional methods in the homes of most residents.

By car, you can reach Rivello via the A3 Salerno–Reggio Calabria motorway, the Lagonegro Nord exit and then the SS 585 Fondovalle del Noce. The historic town centre is almost inaccessible to cars. A maze of narrow streets and steps leads to small squares or directly to paths through the surrounding lush countryside.

More Destinations for Planning Your Trip

San Fele, Marsico Nuovo, Lauria, Palazzo San Gervasio, Maratea, Gli Sgarroni, Gallicchio, Pescopagano

To the overarching travel overview: Potenza.