Garaguso (Matera)
Garaguso Village and Palazzo Revertera
Garaguso is a small village in the Collina Materana hills, at 460 metres, on a hill above the Salandrella stream. It is famous for the tempietto di Garaguso (the Garaguso marble temple model), a small marble model of a Greek temple found in its territory.
- Opening hoursThe village is always open to visitors; for the museum, check with the Town Hall.
- AdmissionFree entry to the village.
- WhereVia Filera – 75010 Garaguso (MT)
History
Excavations have uncovered traces of settlements from prehistoric times through the Greek period. In the sanctuary near the springs, where Greeks and local peoples met, the 5th-century BC marble temple was discovered, with a seated goddess inside: a unique piece, now displayed in a museum in Potenza. In the Middle Ages Garaguso belonged to the bishop of Tricarico. The earthquake of 1694 destroyed the old village, and the Revertera family of Salandra rebuilt it higher up in the 18th century.
What to see
- Palazzo Revertera, an 18th-century hunting residence built on the remains of a castle, with an inner courtyard and some frescoed rooms. It is now publicly owned and houses the iconographic museum of hunting art.
- The square fountain, with a bronze statue of Ceres from the early 20th century, fed by a spring in the woods.
- Palazzo Moles, an 18th-century building overlooking piazza Europa.
- I Sabbioni, the great golden sand cliff along the Salandrella on which the village sits.
Useful information
- The church of San Nicola di Myra is also in the centre.
- Worth tasting: extra virgin olive oil, pàstural (slow-cooked lamb), soppressata and goat’s cheese.
- The Salandrella valley, with the centuries-old olive groves of the Revertera family, is lovely for walks in nature.
