Discovering Venosa, jewel of Basilicata Venosa

Venosa is a wonderful town in the province of Potenza, where cultures, religions, and architectural styles have succeeded each other throughout history, leaving precious testimonies that are still visible today. Exploring the old town and its most significant sites, one can discover the important passage of the Samnites, Romans, Jews, Goths, Lombards, Saracens, Byzantines, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, and Spaniards, each of whom has left traces of their passage, making this place a real treasure trove.

The historic center, almost entirely made up of materials recovered from civil and religious buildings from the Roman era, is dotted with fascinating references to the past. Numerous palaces punctuate the historic center, among which stand out the eighteenth-century Palazzo Calvino, the fourteenth-century Palazzo del Balì, the seat of the religious order of the Knights of Malta, Palazzo Dardes and Palazzo Lauridia, both from the eighteenth century, and the imposing Palazzo Rapolla from the second half of the seventeenth century.

The religious buildings are also beautiful, among which stand out the sixteenth-century Cathedral of Sant'Andrea, the seventeenth-century church of San Filippo Neri, and that dedicated to San Rocco for having freed the city from the plague in 1503. It is worth stopping to admire the numerous artistic fountains, among which the Angevin (1228), that of Messer Oto (1313), and the fifteenth-century fountain of San Marco stand out for their beauty.

The Archaeological Park, where you can visit the ancient Roman baths, the remains of private homes, and an amphitheater, is a perfect place for those who love to travel even further back in time. Over time, the remains of a patrician domus called the House of Horace, Jewish catacombs with numerous underground rooms brought to light in 1853, and even a Paleolithic site dating back to 600,000-300,000 years ago have been added.

The most precious gem of Venosa is the ancient Abbey of the Holy Trinity, once one of the most powerful in the South. The site of the so-called "Incompiuta" is the most suggestive in Venosa, where you can admire the never-completed church made with materials from the nearby amphitheater. The place has a unique expressive charge that enchants, fascinates, and seduces.

Visiting this suggestive Lucanian town is a pleasant way to treat yourself and a special someone to a romantic escape, where you can take a surprising journey through time and history together, holding hands and carefully observing every detail so as not to miss any of the precious treasures that enrich the village.