Things to see · Monuments and historic buildings
Arabata, the Arab Quarter of Pietrapertosa
Pietrapertosa (Potenza)
Arabata, the Arab Quarter of Pietrapertosa is in Pietrapertosa, province of Potenza. Opening hours: Always accessible: it is a lived-in quarter, to be explored on foot. Admission: Free.
- Free.
- Always accessible: it is a lived-in quarter, to be explored on foot.
About this place
The Arabata is the oldest neighbourhood of Pietrapertosa: a tangle of low houses, stairways and alleys built against the rock, at the foot of the Norman-Swabian castle. The name recalls the Arab presence in the town.
History
According to tradition, between the 9th and 10th centuries a group of Saracens led by the warrior Bomar settled in Pietrapertosa, using the fortress as their base, and stayed for about fifty years. The inhabitants built their homes wherever the rock offered shelter, and the quarter still has the shape of a medieval village, grown organically and following the stone.
What to see
• The houses in the rock, small and narrow, many with the back wall carved directly into the stone.
• The stairways and alleys, where cars cannot pass, with sudden views of the pinnacles and the valley.
• The old stables and storerooms built beneath the homes, a reminder of rural life.
• The climb to the castle, which starts right here in the quarter.
How to visit
The quarter can be explored freely on foot in half an hour, but it is worth taking your time. It is still lived in, so please visit with respect and do not enter private property. It is easily combined with the climb to the castle and a stop at the Mother Church of San Giacomo Maggiore.
Useful information
• There are many steps and steep sections: comfortable shoes are essential.
• The best photos are taken early in the morning or at sunset, when the light colours the rock.
• For other things to do in the area, read our guide to the Lucanian Dolomites.
