I murales depict the bond of the local people with nature; they tell of legends and ancient stories; they speak of traditional crafts; they testify to devotion and religious sentiment.
These large works created on urban architectures are therefore indicative of a precise and accurate attention to local history, in order to be able to tell it through vibrant images of ever-increasing artistic quality, carefully made to withstand time, even though exposed to atmospheric agents.
The Murals of the Melandro Valley
Visiting the Melandro Valley in Basilicata will allow the traveler to immerse themselves in a large open-air museum. This is indeed an area dense with particular and evident artistic expressions, represented by the numerous murals that appear on the walls of buildings in the towns of the area. To appreciate creativity, tradition, and technique, one should visit the municipalities of Satriano di Lucania, Sant’Angelo Le Fratte, and Savoia di Lucania, in the province of Potenza.
These three locations currently feature about 400 works, with another 40 murals nearing completion soon.
Murals of Satriano di Lucania
A tour of the Melandro Valley to discover the murals can only begin from Satriano di Lucania (Pz), since this town has the highest number of works of this type: around 160 to date.
Since the 1980s, citizens and administrations have embraced this particular path of enhancement – both of the buildings and of the art and tradition of the town itself, to be told through images – allowing over time the refinement of techniques and conservation methods.
The activity today sees an ever more vivid and renewed interest, even more so because it is coordinated by the Cultural Artistic Association “Art for the Valley”.
Many artists since 1988 have contributed to the project, painting entire facades of houses and thus helping to enhance the entire territory.
Murals of Sant’Angelo le Fratte
In the nearby municipality of Sant’Angelo le Fratte, efforts have also been made to create works that tell of the connection of these places with the figure of Bishop Juan Caramuel, on apostolic mission here from 1657 to 1672. In particular, it is recommended to go to Via Cupa as some thematic works have been created there.
Finally, a walk through the town of Savoia di Lucania will allow the visitor to participate in the creative process itself, appreciating the overall project: new paintings are currently being set up that will enrich the facades of buildings in this locality.
A tour of the Melandro Valley is therefore a unique opportunity to feel literally surrounded and immersed in ancient stories, depicted on entire buildings: certainly an exciting itinerary full of archaic charm.
Murals of Savoia di Lucania
Also in Savoia di Lucania, the ancient Salvia, it is possible to appreciate this form of mural art. In this small Lucanian center, the murals mainly tell the story of Passannante, the attacker of Umberto I who was born here. Among the narrow streets of the small village, one encounters colorful figures and history.
