It is said that Basilicata does not exist, yet it is there in all its beauty and history. Today we invite you to discover the Lucanian region on a “coast to coast” tour between the two seas.
1 – Archaeological Museum and Roman Theatre of Grumento Nova
Arriving from the north, we are warmly welcomed by the sensational Val d’Agri. In the city of Grumento Nova, we find the Archaeological Museum and the Roman Theatre. The museum is a small treasure chest that houses a series of remains found in the ancient Roman city of Grumentum. A short distance from the Museum, the recently restored Roman theatre, still in use, hosts theatrical performances immersed in the charm of antiquity.
Discover more about the Museum and the archaeological site of Grumento Nova, click here!
2 – Castle of Lagopesole
The Castle of Lagopesole is located on the hill overlooking the Vitalba valley. A hunting lodge and summer “otium” built by Emperor Frederick II in 1242. The reference to the domus of Lagopesole in the Statutum de reparatione castrorum in the early 1240s certainly attests to the usability of much of the building before the emperor’s death.
Discover the Castle of Lagopesole on Artsupp.com! Click here!
3 – National Archaeological Museum of Siritide and the Archaeological Park of Harakleia
Proceeding south and overlooking the shores of the Ionian Sea, we arrive at Policoro.
Policoro was an ancient landmark for Greek and Roman civilizations. Here we find the National Archaeological Museum of Siritide and the Archaeological Park of Herakleia.
The National Archaeological Museum offers a surprising visit due to the number of exhibits on display. The Museum houses the remains found in the ancient Greek cities of Siris and Herakleia. By visiting the Archaeological Park, you can walk through history.
The Park includes the acropolis of Herakleia and the ancient urban sanctuaries of the late Hellenistic period.
Discover the National Archaeological Museum of Siritide and the Archaeological Park of Harakleia on Artsupp! Click here!
4 – Temple of the Palatine Tables and Archaeological Museum, Bernalda
In our selection of must-visit museums in Basilicata, we could not miss two gems of the Ionian coast: the Temple of the Palatine Tables and the Archaeological Museum of Bernalda. Just 3 km from the ancient city of Metaponto, we can visit the ancient Temple of the “Palatine Tables,” named after the columns that compose it. Nearby the temple, many artifacts were discovered during the excavations of 1926, which are now preserved in the Archaeological Museum.
Visit the archaeological area of the Palatine Tables on Artsupp.com
5 – Musma – Museum of Contemporary Sculpture in Matera
The MUSMA is the Museum of Contemporary Sculpture in one of the oldest cities in the world: Matera.
It is housed in an impressive historic building in the Sassi, the 17th-century Palazzo Pomarici, built on the ruins of a Dominican convent from the 1200s. The visitor path winds through an area of about 2000 square meters, divided into ten rooms, once the residence of the Pomarici family, and seven caves, which were formerly used as stables, cellars, and warehouses. The alternation of contrast and harmony between modern and contemporary sculptures and the environments carved into the rock of the Sassi is particularly striking.
The alternation of contrast and harmony between modern and contemporary sculptures and the environments carved into the rock of the Sassi is particularly striking. Over 200 works tell a century of Italian and international sculpture: sculptures from the historical core of the collection (from Medardo Rosso to Arturo Martini, from Duilio Cambellotti to Antonietta Raphäel), works arranged in accordance with the museum’s unique structure and site-specific installations, conceived and created by artists for these one-of-a-kind spaces.
Discover the MUSMA on Artsupp! Click here!
6 – SoutHeritage Foundation
The SoutHeritage Foundation is located in the historic center of the city of the Sassi, Matera.
The Foundation is a very active exhibition space in the promotion of contemporary art and international artists.
