Things to see · Churches and sanctuaries
Mother Church of Santa Maria dell’Olmo
Castelmezzano (Potenza)
Mother Church of Santa Maria dell’Olmo is in Castelmezzano, province of Potenza. Opening hours: Open for services and usually during the day. Times may vary. Admission: Free entry.
- Free entry.
- Open for services and usually during the day. Times may vary.
About this place
The Chiesa Madre di Santa Maria dell’Olmo is the main church of Castelmezzano. It overlooks piazza Emilio Caizzo, the village square, which offers one of the most beautiful views of the pinnacles of the Dolomiti Lucane.
History
The date of the first building is uncertain: it is thought to date from the early 13th century, when the church was smaller than it is today. By 1544 it was already called «Santa Maria dell’Olmo» and listed as the village’s principal church. Until the mid-19th century it had a single nave, four small side chapels (dedicated to Jesus Christ, Charity, Purgatory and Saint Anthony) and several altars: as early as 1544, there were seven.
Consolidation work began in 1853, but the earthquake of 1857 damaged the building. In 1870, the archpriest don Michele Arcangelo Volini had the central nave enlarged, the sacristy renovated, the bell tower rebuilt and the two side aisles added. At the beginning of the 20th century, the church was embellished with marble altars thanks to donations from Castelmezzano emigrants in the United States.
What to see
• The statues of Santa Maria dell’Olmo, the Madonna with Child, the Madonna del Bosco-Regina Pura and the Madonna dell’Ascensione.
• The paintings of the Souls in Purgatory, the Madonna del Carmelo and the Holy Family, the latter attributed to the 17th-century painter Pietrafesa.
• The bells: the oldest dates from 1666, the others from 1768, 1820 and 1948.
• The square in front of the church, with benches and a view of the pinnacles.
Festivals
On Ascension Sunday, the Madonna dell’Ascensione is celebrated. On 12 and 13 September, for Saint Anthony, the village celebrates the Maggio, the «wedding of the trees» (a traditional ceremony involving decorated tree trunks).
How to get there
• By car: from the Basentana (SS407), follow the signs for Castelmezzano and drive up to the village. Park at the entrance to the old town and continue on foot.
• The church is on the main road leading to the centre, a few steps from the car park.
Useful information
• During Mass, visitors should walk around quietly and without disturbing the service.
• From here you can walk to the Gradinata normanna (Norman Staircase) and the start of the Percorso delle Sette Pietre (Seven Stones Trail).
