History of the Sele Valley

The Sele Valley has never been a single political or urban unit. Its history is visible through settlements and routes linking the Tyrrhenian coast with inland southern Italy.

Ancient settlements

Buccino preserves the remains of ancient Volcei, while archaeological discoveries throughout the valley document Lucanian and Roman presence.

Medieval villages

Fortified settlements, castles and churches developed on defensible high ground. Their position still shapes the appearance of Collianello, Quaglietta, Palomonte and other towns.

The 1980 earthquake

The earthquake transformed communities across the Upper Sele Valley. Laviano, Castelnuovo di Conza, Senerchia and Calabritto preserve particularly visible evidence of destruction, memory and reconstruction.