Things to see · Villages and old towns
Terravecchia and Porta dell’Orologio, Montalbano Jonico
Montalbano Jonico (Matera)
Terravecchia and Porta dell’Orologio, Montalbano Jonico is in Montalbano Jonico, province of Matera. Opening hours: Always accessible. Admission: Free.
- Free.
- Always accessible.
About this place
The Terravecchia is the medieval heart of Montalbano Jonico, developed around the castle on the highest part of the hill. You enter through the Porta dell’Orologio, also known as the Porta del Castello, at the end of corso Carlo Alberto.
History
In the Middle Ages the town was surrounded by walls with towers. After the sack by Ottoman pirates in 1555, the walls were reinforced. Little remains of the castle: part of it was incorporated into houses, and part collapsed.
What to see
• The Porta dell’Orologio, rebuilt in the 19th century in place of an ancient pointed-arch gate.
• The remains of the Norman walls, with two square towers and arrow slits.
• The alleys, narrow passageways and arches of the village, with an Arab-Norman layout.
• The Mother Church of Santa Maria dell’Episcopio, a short walk away.
Useful information
• The old quarter is best explored on foot.
• In the centre you will also find Palazzo Rondinelli, home to the civic library, and Palazzo De Ruggeri, which houses the art space dedicated to Melchiorre da Montalbano.
• From the town you can head down towards the Calanchi Reserve.
