Tursi is one of the jewel villages of Basilicata, located in province of Matera. Well known to literature enthusiasts, being the birthplace of poet Albino Pierro, several times nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Anyone who tries a trip to the "city of stones", can not miss the appointment with the many beauties of its vast and rich province.
Not only the Sassi, therefore, but also villages to discover. This is the case of Tursi, which offers a spectacular first impact to its visitors. A place that has stood still in time, characterized by its many stone houses.
The history of Tursi
Various cultures have alternated in this territory. Over the centuries various peoples have called this area home, come on Saracens ai Byzantines, up to Normans. Invasions that had a clear impact on the development of the city, as did the Swabians and Angevins. Turning our gaze to the sixteenth century, we record the dominion of the Dorias, who controlled the territory until the spread of plague and cholera, who forced it to be sold to other noble families.
It is easy to realize immediately how Tursi is divided into different districts. Each of these is well defined and boasts specific peculiarities. The oldest, and consequently the most famous, is undoubtedly the Rione Rabitana. This arises around the Castle between the fifth and sixth centuries, with deep ravines all around. Elements that have become part of the landscape, which have deeply inspired Albino Pierro, representing his fantastic world of the “Jaramme”.
The construction of the Castle was thanks to the Goths, who pushed the construction of the first stone houses all around, effectively inaugurating the Rabitana. Of great importance was the strategic position of the village, easy to defend, which led to the birth of an increasingly important inhabited center.
Tursi, Rione Rabitana
Going to Tursi inevitably means going to the discover the Rione Rabitana and fall in love with it. To reach this area you need to take a steep road, which extends over the fascinating ravines for more than 200 meters. A path that bears the name of Petrizze, in dialect. It is a sort of stairway built in the place of a particularly dangerous path, considering the elevated position and the precipices.
Get inspired
If it is true that the Rione Rabitana represents the most fascinating area of Tursi, with its Arab-Muslim urban style, this does not mean that the rest of the village is to be ignored. Space, therefore, to the Cathedral District, which owes its name to the present wing of the Cathedral of the Annunziata, whose foundation dates back to 1546. A church of imposing dimensions in the form of a Latin cross.
Interesting a visit to Picciarello, which extends southwards starting from the Castle hill. All that remains of the ancient fortress that was is a set of underground tunnels. Another important district is that of San Micheal, which boasts the homonymous church in Romanesque style but above all the historic center of Tursi, where the house that once belonged to the poet Albino Pierro is located, now home to a public library. The most characteristic district is probably Chest, with a large number of leaning houses that find space on the hill, the view of which leads downwards, until you reach the Rione Santi Quaranta.
What to eat and do
Such a village cannot fail when it comes to food and wine. Menu rich in poor specialties of the Lucanian cuisine. Particular attention to Tursi oranges, the difference of which compared to other types lies in the size and particular sweetness. Try the acquasale, with cooked stale bread, onion, garlic, parsley and tomatoes. Space then for cod with cruschi peppers, cavatelli with turnip tops, cod with lemon, great Lucanian ragù and ciaudedda.
THEpanoramic lift it is a must try, going from Piazza San Sebastiano to Pizzo delle Monachelle di Petto. To visit the Rione Sant'Anna, on the left bank of the Pescogrosso stream. Every 20th of the month, a big one takes place here folkloristic market all to be discovered.
Source of the photograph: Tursi, Basilicata - Source: A.mormando CC BY-SA 3.0
