Discover the place
Guide to Oliveto Citra
Olive trees cover much of the hill country around Oliveto Citra, which overlooks the Upper Sele Valley. The historic settlement grew around a castle in a defensible position. The municipality borders Contursi Terme and includes a stretch of the Sele River.
On 24 May 1985 several local people reported seeing an apparition of the Virgin Mary near the castle gate, which had been damaged in the 1980 earthquake. The site has since attracted pilgrims. Visitors interested in the longer history of the valley can explore the Archaeological Museum of the Lucanians of the Upper Sele Valley.
History
The name Oliveto refers to the area's olive groves. Evidence of settlement goes back to the Iron Age, followed by Samnite, Etruscan, Greek, Lucanian and Roman presence. Around the year 1000, residents moved close to the castle for protection from raids.
Oliveto is recorded as a fief in 1167 and later formed part of the County of Conza. The Macedonio di Ruggiano family held power until 1799, the year of the Parthenopean Republic, when a Tree of Liberty was raised in the main square.
What to see
- The ruins of the twelfth-century Macedonio castle and its neighbouring bell tower.
- Remains of a Roman aqueduct.
- The Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia, with its Baroque facade and painted ceiling; Santa Maria delle Grazie; and the Baroque Madonna della Consolazione.
- The small shrine commemorating the reported 1985 apparition.
- The Archaeological Museum and the outdoor areas at Fontana del Volpacchio and Pino Canali.
