Scanzano Jonico
Discovering Scanzano Jonico
Hi everyone! Today I will tell you about Scanzano Jonico, a small Italian town in the province of Matera, in Basilicata. With its 7,553 inhabitants, it is a perfect place for those who seek tranquility and crystal-clear sea.
Physical geography
Territory
Scanzano Jonico is located in a flat area, less than 1 km from the sea in the southwestern part of the region. The municipal territory has an altitude ranging from 0 to 106 meters, with an average of 21 meters. Most of the municipal territory is located just a few meters above sea level. It borders the municipality of Pisticci to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the territories of Policoro and Tursi to the south, and the municipality of Montalbano Jonico to the west.
Climate
The climate of Scanzano Jonico is typical of Southern Italy, with hot and dry summers and mild and humid winters. According to the average data of the 1961-1990 thirty-year period, the average temperature of the coldest month, January, is +7.4 °C, while that of the warmest month, August, reaches +25.5 °C.
History
Scanzano Jonico became an autonomous municipality in 1974, when it ceased to be a fraction of Montalbano Jonico. The toponym derives from a modest medieval settlement, but the town was refounded around the pre-existing structures and repopulated in the 1950s following the Land Reform.
The protests of 2003
In November 2003, the Berlusconi II government designated the town's soil as the national only place for the collection of "high and medium duration" radioactive Scoria (2nd and 3rd category), totaling about 60,000 cubic meters, in the coastal hamlet of ''Terzo Cavone'' located a few meters from the sea. This decision sparked popular protest movements and several peaceful demonstrations that were called ''days of Scanzano''. These protest days lasted from November 13 to 27 of the same year and ended with the creation of a new amendment by the Council of Ministers: the name of Scanzano Jonico was deleted from the official decree of radioactive Scoria.
The fundamental points for the annulment of the decree were the high seismicity of the area and, above all, its extremely close proximity to the sea and the altitude of just a few meters. In fact, for an underground site (and therefore below sea level), this would not only have entailed a real risk of infiltration but also and above all the probable submergence of the area in case of sea level rise.
Monuments and places of interest
Baronial Palace and the Chapel of Théotokos
Arriving in Scanzano Jonico, you cannot miss visiting the Baronial Palace with its merlons tower and inner courtyard. Currently, the structure houses some municipal offices and is the venue for cultural activities. Continuing the visit, you can reach the small chapel of Théotokos, recently reconsecrated. On the portal, there is a bas-relief of the Annunciation dating back to the year 1000.
Scanzano Jonico is a place inserted in a wonderful natural context where you can enjoy the beauties of the sea and the typical cuisine of the place. I highly recommend visiting and tasting the delicacies of the local cuisine. I hope I have intrigued you enough! See you soon!
