Discover Tursi: Rabatana and Anglona

Rabatana offers a glimpse into Tursi’s early settlement history; churches, a crypt and the Casa Museo reveal other historical and literary facets of the town. About 10 kilometres from Tursi, the Santuario Maria Santissima di Anglona stands on Anglona Hill, overlooking the Agri and Sinni rivers. You can choose between local history, architecture and a trip to a remarkable sanctuary.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Tursi, this thematic distinction can be a good starting point: Would you mainly like to explore Rabatana and its architectural history, learn about Albino Pierro’s work, or include the Santuario as well? Each place offers a different focus, without requiring you to follow a fixed sightseeing itinerary.

Rabatana: an early settlement and steep paths

Rabatana was the first inhabited settlement in Tursi. Deep, inaccessible ravines surround it on all sides. Visitors can follow the paths among the ruins of this original settlement and see the remains of simple, often single-storey houses. Here, you encounter not only individual historic buildings, but also remnants of the ways of life that shaped the neighbourhood.

One notable street in Rabatana is the Gradinata della Rabatana, locally also known as the “petrizze”. It is wide and steep, stretching for more than 200 metres along the ravines. Carlo Doria, Andrea Doria’s nephew and lord of Tursi, had the Gradinata built at his own expense in 1600. Its name and the recorded history of its construction give this street a distinctive place in local history.

Churches and architectural history in Rabatana

The Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore dates from the 10th to 11th centuries. Its crypt is older still: it is dated to the 7th to 8th centuries and housed the seat of the Diocese of Tursi in 968. This building therefore offers a glimpse of different historical periods. In the first half of the 18th century, the church was remodelled in the Baroque style; only its 15th-century façade was retained.

The Convento di San Francesco d'Assisi also has a clear historical date: it was founded in 1441 and is now a national monument. Together with the Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore and its crypt, it offers different ways to explore sacred and architectural history. If you are interested in traces of different periods, these dates provide a useful comparison: the foundation, early building fabric and later remodelling tell different stories.

The Santuario Maria Santissima di Anglona

The Santuario Maria Santissima di Anglona stands on Anglona Hill at 263 metres above sea level. From there, it overlooks the Agri and Sinni; it is about 10 kilometres from Tursi. Its location makes it a distinct destination from the historic buildings in Rabatana. If you would like to take the landscape into account as well as local history when planning your trip, the sanctuary is a separate stop to consider.

On 17 May 1999, the Santuario was elevated to the rank of a minor basilica. Its main feast is held on 8 September. The elevation and the annual feast date are two distinct aspects of the sanctuary: the 1999 date marks its institutional history, while the September date shapes its festival calendar. If the feast is important to your plans, check the specific dates before travelling.

Albino Pierro: museum and literary legacy

The Casa Museo “Albino Pierro” is in Tursi’s historic centre, in the San Filippo neighbourhood above Piazza Plebiscito. The building was formerly the Pierro family palace. The Museo della Poesia Pierriana in the Casa Museo displays paintings, poems, objects and memorabilia from Albino Pierro’s works. The former family palace is thus linked to a collection spanning different forms of the poet’s expression.

The Parco Letterario Albino Pierro was established in Tursi to promote the memory of the poet and his work. Its stated aims also include the town’s historical and cultural heritage and the preservation of the Tursi dialect. The Casa Museo and Parco Letterario therefore offer different emphases: the museum displays works and memorabilia, while the literary park focuses on the connections between Pierro’s work, the town’s history and its dialect.

A booking form is available for enquiries about visiting the Casa Museo “Albino Pierro” or the Museo della Poesia Pierriana. It asks for your visit date, arrival time and number of visitors. Confirm the details before you travel.

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