Piazza Eraclea and the Mother Church

Piazza Eraclea is the heart of Policoro. It was built in the 1950s together with the new settlement of the land reform and takes its name from Herakleia, the Greek city founded here in the 5th century BC. Around the square, lined with arcades, stand the Chiesa Madre di Maria Santissima del Ponte (Mother Church of Our Lady of the Bridge) and the biblioteca comunale (town library). At the centre is the city’s symbol, Hercules Wrestling the Lion.

The square of the new Policoro

For centuries, Policoro had only the Castello Baronale (Baronial Castle) and the farmhouses of the estate. On 14 April 1953 the Ente per la Riforma Fondiaria (Land Reform Agency) began building the new settlement, designed by Giuseppe Candura and Paolo Maria Petrignani. The settlement was organised around this square, which provided the services for the families who had come to farm the lands of the Metapontino. In 1959 Policoro became an independent comune (municipality). Since then the square has been where the town gathers for festivals, meetings and evening strolls.

Hercules and the lion

The bronze monument shows Hercules strangling the Nemean lion, the first of his twelve labours. It is the symbol of Policoro and recalls the city’s origins: Herakleia was in fact the “city of Heracles”, the hero the Greeks revered as their protector. The statue stands in front of the town library and is the best-known meeting point in the town.

The Chiesa Madre di Maria Santissima del Ponte

It was built by the Land Reform Agency together with the settlement and was the first parish of modern Policoro. It has the typical features of post-war rural churches:
• a single nave in reinforced concrete, with a semicircular apse;
• a white façade, with a three-arched portico and a large rose window;
• the bell tower, rising behind the church.

Between 2019 and 2020 the church was restored and a mosaic of the Resurrection was created in the apse. At the centre of the high altar is its most precious treasure: the medieval wooden statue of the Madonna with Child, from the 13th–14th century, venerated as the Madonna del Ponte and patron saint of the city. It was previously kept in the chapel next to the castle. For processions a modern copy is used, so the original remains protected.

What to see

• The Hercules and lion monument, at the centre of the square.
• The arcades, which give the square its character.
• The Chiesa Madre with the medieval statue of the Madonna del Ponte and the apse mosaic.
• The town library, with a children’s room and study spaces.

How to get there

• By car: from the Statale 106 Jonica (Ionian coast road), take the exit for Policoro and follow the signs for the centre. Piazza Eraclea is in the heart of the town. Park on the streets around it.
• From Matera: about an hour’s drive. Head towards Metaponto and continue south on the 106 Jonica.
• On foot: the Castello Baronale is about 600 metres away, roughly a ten-minute walk. The Museo della Siritide and the Parco di Herakleia are about one kilometre away.
• By train: the nearest station is Policoro-Tursi, on the Taranto–Reggio Calabria line. From there it takes just a few minutes to reach the centre by car or taxi.

Useful information

• Address: piazza Eraclea, 75025 Policoro (MT)
• The square is always accessible.
• The Chiesa Madre is open during the day. During Mass, visitors are welcome but should be respectful and not disturb the celebrations.
• The town library is open Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon. Tel. 0835 972895.