Montescaglioso

Montescaglioso stands on a hill in the east of the province of Matera, a few kilometres from the city of the Sassi. Its old town is dominated by the great Benedictine abbey of San Michele Arcangelo, with its cloisters and frescoes, one of the most important monastic complexes in the South.

The mother church of Saints Peter and Paul holds four canvases by Mattia Preti. The town is also known for its traditions: a carnival recorded since the 17th century and the night of the Cucibocca, when long-bearded figures with chains roam the streets. In August the feast of San Rocco ends with a triumphal cart pulled by seven horses.