Rivello: Monastery Art, Historic Lanes and Trails

Discover Rivello through its churches and artworks, the history of its settlements, and the trails in the surrounding area. These themes offer different ways to plan your stay: you can explore architectural and religious history or include hiking and cycling routes in your itinerary. In the old town, historic traces meet a network of lanes and steps that helps shape the character of the place.

Monastery and Churches as Historic Landmarks

An early date in the town’s history is 1515, when construction began on the Monastero di Sant’Antonio. This followed a request from the people of Rivello and their mayor to the relevant church authority to establish a monastery for the Observant Franciscans. The building offers concrete details to look for, including its portico. Its door is designed in the Durazzo-Catalan style and features 36 carved panels with rosette motifs.

The paintings on the portico tell a story of their own. Its upper section is decorated with frescoes depicting episodes from the lives of Saint Anthony and Saint Francis of Assisi. Girolamo Todisco da Abriola painted them between 1616 and 1634. The architecture and frescoes thus offer two different perspectives on the monastery: the carved details on the door and the religious scenes in the upper part of the portico.

Beneath the Church of San Nicola is a crypt with three naves, separated by 34 rustic columns made of local stone. King Ferdinand II declared the crypt a national monument. The same church also houses a throne of Saint Nicholas, made by artisans from Rivello around 1930 under the direction of Francesco Ferrari. The crypt and throne thus draw attention both to the spatial forms of church architecture and to local craftsmanship.

Art and Traces of Earlier Settlements

At Santa Maria del Poggio, you can encounter two works from different centuries: a Deposition by Salvatore Ferrari from 1720 and a Last Supper from the 18th century, attributed to the school of Luca Giordano. The church’s religious history goes back further; it probably followed the Greek rite until 1588. The dates and cautious attribution make the two artworks distinct points of interest, rather than part of a single, unified art history.

Rivello’s history is also reflected in the development of its settlements. The present-day town center lies opposite the former settlement, which had developed on Serra Città hill several centuries earlier. Visible remains of the Fontana dei Longobardi survive. Along the River Noce, water-powered copper and ironworks supplied the hundred workshops in Rivello with semi-finished products. These traces lead from churches and artworks to the area’s earlier settlements and historic crafts.

Soperzata is also part of local daily life: it is still made in Rivello using traditional methods in the homes of most residents. Alongside the visible buildings and artworks, this is a continuing production tradition rooted in local households.

Hiking and Cycling

For hikers, stage SI T07 of the Sentiero Italia CAI connects Lago Sirino with Rivello and is 14.6 kilometers long. Another option is the former Calabro-Lucano railway line, now used as a cycling route and as regional hiking trail 660.

The historic town center also shapes how you get around on foot. It is almost inaccessible to cars; a maze of lanes and steps leads to small squares or directly to trails in the lush surrounding countryside. If you plan to explore the town center, take its limited vehicle access into account. Rivello therefore offers two distinct focuses: an immersive exploration of local history and art, and hiking and cycling routes as separate activity options.

Discover more destinations: Palazzo San Gervasio, Lagonegro, Sant'arcangelo, Viggiano, Armento, Latronico, Venosa, San Fele

For the overview of the wider area: Potenza.