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Montemurro
Montemurro
is a mountain village located in
the Province of Potenza in the region of Lucania. It is located on the
left slope of Val d’Agri. Currently, Montemurro is an agricultural
center and holiday village situated in a beautiful panoramic position on
the Pietra del Pertusillo Lake.
The village was reportedly founded by Saracens from North Africa in the
10th century. The initial population definitely included the refugees from
the ancient city of Grumentum which was destroyed in 973 AD by the
Saracens. The population of Grumentum included Roman Jews and native
Lucanians who are said to have originated in Anatolia. Other Roman
citizens likely came to Grumentum including Egyptians and Middle
Easterners. Hannibal and the Carthaginian Army fought a battle at
Grumentum and camped just outside the city gates for a decade or so while
apparently maintaining a garrison there.
A mixing of the populations is a virtual certainty since the city
was also friendly to the Carthaginians.
The Carthaginians were of Phoenician lineage originating in what later
became Lebanon. Other Phoenicians settled in Greece and would have
accompanied the Greek colonization of southern Italy as well. Grumentum
was not Greek but there were many Greek colonies in the region and this
must be considered a major founding element. Lombards must have also made
a significant contribution. During the Byzantine period, and specifically
in the 7th century AD there were immigrants to southern Italy from
Macedonia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt fleeing advances of the Slavs and
the Moslems.
Later, there were Norman families (midway through the XI century), who
were faithful to the Roman Pope. The new nobles, in fact, entrusted the
Parish of Montemurro to the Bishop of Tricŕrico (1086), whose diocese
remained in the village until the Swabians came into power (1194). Under
the Angioiniansans (XIII century), Montemurro was a fief of the
Sanseverino family and during the Aragonese era, of the Carafa family.
In 1857, the village was almost totally destroyed by a terrible
earthquake, to which a landslide was added 50 years later. This forced
many people to abandon the village circa 1907.
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Other Points of
Interest
The poet Leonardo Sinisgalli was born in Montemurro.
On a visit to the City, one can visit the Sant’Antonio Monastery in the village,
which preserves frescoes from the ‘600s in its interior, and the Assunta Mother
Church which preserves canvases from the XVII century.
One can also visit the house of the poet Leonardo Sinisgalli, a native of Montemurro.
There are many possible excursions to the surrounding territory, to the Grumentum Archaeological
Park and many other naturalistic walks offered by the presence of the Pietra del Pertusillo Lake.
Places
The S. Antonio Monastery (1635); S. Maria Assunta Church (1442); Madonna del Soccorso Church; Extra moenia (outside the City walls)
Sanctuary of the Madonna of Servigliano; San Domenico Tower; House of the poet Sinisgalli; Sepolcro Church; S.Rocco Church; Pietra
Laccata Woods; Pietra del Pertusillo Lake; Grumentum Archaeological Site; Grumento Nova; Val D’Agri National Park.
Events
Feast of Sant’Antonio Abate on 17th January; Feast of San Giorgio on 19th April,
Feast of the Madonna of Servigliano on the 2nd Sunday in May; Feast of Sant’Antonio of Padua on 13th June
; Feast of the Madonna del Carmine on 16th June; Feast of San Rocco on 16th August; Feast of the Madonna
of Servigliano on the 2nd Sunday in September.
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