Discover Casalsottano

For your travel planning, Casalsottano offers a specific cultural site and a national park visitor center as points of interest. Palazzo dei Principi Paleologo di Bisanzio is located at Via Cappella 27; the visitor center for San Mauro del Cilento for Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park is beside the primary school. Other cultural topics relate to San Mauro Cilento. If you are looking for a hotel in Casalsottano, these different points of interest can help you plan your trip.

Palazzo and Carnival tradition

Palazzo dei Principi Paleologo di Bisanzio is regarded as a historical and cultural symbol of San Mauro Cilento’s Greek-Byzantine roots. Materials, costumes, masks and other accessories from the old Carnival of San Mauro Cilento are kept in the Palazzo Paleologo complex. Two cultural perspectives therefore come together: the historical significance attributed to the palazzo and the props and costumes of a theatrical tradition. Visits to the palazzo are arranged on request for the morning or afternoon. If you are planning a visit, ask in advance about arrangements for your preferred time.

A MASCHKARATA: theatrical form and dates

The old Carnival of San Mauro Cilento, “A MASCHKARATA,” consists of interconnected scenes of folk theatre reminiscent of commedia dell’arte. It usually takes place on the last Sunday of the Carnival season and on Shrove Tuesday. The scenes offer insight into the character of the tradition; the two days mentioned describe its usual timeframe. If you would like to plan your trip around A MASCHKARATA, check the dates for the relevant year in advance.

Museo Eleousa and religious heritage

The parish church of San Mauro Cilento houses the Museo Eleousa in its lower level. The museum is an archive and library dedicated to the social and religious history of the ancient Cilento. Its historical diplomatic archive preserves manuscripts dating from the 16th to the 19th century. The library contains around 400 printed volumes dating from the late 15th to the 19th century. By comparison, the stated period covered by the library begins earlier than that of the manuscript collection. This distinguishes the collections both by their function and by the time span they cover. Visits to the Museo Eleousa are available by appointment on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; arrange a time in advance.

Another religious point of interest is the Chapel of the Addolorata in the cemetery of San Mauro Cilento. It is a destination for pilgrimages for religious and penitential reasons. This makes the theme of pilgrimage distinct from the archival and library collections of the Museo Eleousa: here the focus is on religious practice, while the museum is devoted to the social and religious history of the ancient Cilento.

Visitor center and planning your visit

The visitor center for San Mauro del Cilento for Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park is beside the primary school in Casalsottano. For guests interested in the national park as well as the cultural highlights, it provides a separate point of reference when planning a trip. Check the park’s current information before visiting. It is also worth noting the arrangements for the cultural sites: visits to the Museo Eleousa are by appointment, while visits to the palazzo are arranged on request for the morning or afternoon. This allows you to plan your trip around your interests in theatrical tradition, collections, religious heritage or the national park.

Discover more destinations: Policastro Bussentino, Roccagloriosa, Sessa Cilento, Acciaroli, Roccadaspide, Serra, Torchiara, Montecorice.

For the overview of the wider area: Salerno.