Ruvo del Monte
Ruvo del Monte: a small gem in the heart of Basilicata
Hello friends! Today I will tell you about a small town in the heart of Basilicata: Ruvo del Monte, or as it's called in Lucanian dialect, Rùve. With its 996 inhabitants, this municipality in the province of Potenza is located at 630 meters above sea level, in the Vulture-Melfese area.
The physical geography of Ruvo del Monte
Ruvo del Monte is dominated by the profile of Mount Vulture, which at 1326 meters attracts the attention of all visitors. The municipal territory extends in the north-western area of Basilicata, on the borders with Irpinia. This privileged position gives Ruvo del Monte a unique climate that varies from the freshness of the mountains to the aridity of the hills.
The origins of the name
The archpriest Giuseppe Ciampa, a local scholar, has argued that the name Ruvo del Monte derives from the Latin "rufus", meaning "red", due to the colors that the landscape takes on during sunsets. However, another scholar has hypothesized that the name has Greek origins.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious architectures
If you visit Ruvo del Monte, you cannot miss the Mother Church or the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta. This religious building dates back to the year 1000, but it was used as a mother church only starting from the fourteenth century. The first document concerning this church is from 1519 when the then bishop of the archdiocese of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo granted a local family the "jus patronatus" of an altar.
Over the centuries, the Mother Church of Ruvo del Monte suffered several damages due to earthquakes that hit the area. However, thanks to the financial help of many Ruvo natives in the United States, it was possible to carry out important restoration and restructuring works. The roof was demolished, the bell tower was restored, and the presbytery floor was raised. A baptismal font, a holy water font, and two confessionals were also built. The apse was adorned with twisted wooden columns gilded, and under the high altar were placed the relics of San Donato martyr.
Despite the restorations, the Mother Church of Ruvo del Monte also suffered damage due to the earthquake in Irpinia in 1980. The consolidation and restoration works of the church lasted several years and involved the elimination of some decorative elements that were not suitable for the construction.
Other places of interest
In addition to the Mother Church, Ruvo del Monte offers several other places of interest to visitors. For example, in the town, you can visit the Basile Palace, which dates back to the eighteenth century and is distinguished by its facade with toothed crowning. Another historical building is the Clock Tower, located in the main square of Ruvo del Monte. This tower was built in the eighteenth century and, as the name suggests, houses a clock that dominates the city.
Conclusions
As you have seen, Ruvo del Monte is a small gem in the heart of Basilicata. Thanks to its privileged position, it offers visitors breathtaking landscapes and an extraordinary cultural heritage. Don't miss the opportunity to visit this splendid municipality and admire the wonders it offers!
