Village and Caves of San Giorgio Lucano

History

The village was founded in 1534, when a group of Albanian refugees fleeing the Ottoman occupation settled in the area, known as Minnuglio. At the start of the seventeenth century, Prince Pignatelli brought farmers from nearby villages to cultivate the land; the founding document is dated 1607. San Giorgio became an independent comune in 1810, and in 1863 it added “Lucano” to its name.

What to see

• The caves, dug into the rock in the neighbourhoods of Timpa, Crocicella, Casino, Fontana Vecchia, Calanchi and Selva Vecchia: they were cellars and storerooms of rural life. The most beautiful are at Timpa and Crocicella, with wooden doors and wrought iron.
• The palazzi in the centre, including Palazzo Zito from the 16th century, the Palazzo Ripa and Silvestri, and Palazzo Carlomagno from 1826.
• The mother church of San Francesco d’Assisi, from the 17th century, and the Mulino del Sole (Sun Mill).
• The sanctuary of the Madonna del Pantano, in the woods, built near the cave where, according to tradition, the statue of the Madonna was found.

Useful information

• The Madonna del Pantano is celebrated on the first Sunday of May, with a procession between the village and the sanctuary; San Rocco, the patron saint, is celebrated on 17 and 18 August.
• Be sure to try the peperoni cruschi (crispy dried sweet peppers), the acquasale (a traditional bread-based dish) and the frizzuli (pork cracklings) served with sauce and fried breadcrumbs.
• San Giorgio Lucano is a stage of the Basilicata Coast to Coast trail; nearby is the castello di Isabella Morra (Isabella Morra’s castle) in Valsinni.