Morning in Eboli and Getting to Matera

Our beautiful apartment was so quiet, but I had noticed one impotent thing . . . there was no central heat or air conditioning ! Several rooms had portable heaters, but the tile floors were really cold, and we had to use a down comforter during the night. Maybe I don't want to live in a castle after all !

It was only a two hour drive to our next destination, so we spent our morning walking the narrow streets and passageways of the castle complex of Eboli.


EBOLI

Eboli is east of the city of Salerno, an agricultural center, known principally for olive oil and dairy products.

Eboli overlooks the very large and extremely fertile Sele Plain that stretches all the way to the sea with citrus groves and farms that produce a wide variety of crops. Mozzarella di Bufala, mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk, is the queen of the Ebolitana table. The agro-industrial production in Eboli is one of the most important in all of Europe. It is perfectly situated where the territory gets moisture from the warm waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, from which it receives the beneficial effects of the cool summer breezes and fertile rainy spring and fall.

Eboli for centuries was an important crossroads of different civilizations and cultures with many traces of ancient settlements. The oldest of these settlements is Madonna della Catena, dating back to the ancient peoples of Lucania (1800-2500 B.C.). It was destroyed and rebuilt several times starting in 410 A.D.

A local saying "Christ stopped at Eboli" was used by 20th century writer Carlo Levi as the title of a book, referring to the enduring poverty in Basillicata. I have started to read the book, but have not gotten very far . . . too many things to see and do !

Eboli does form a natural hinge between north and south in the middle of the hills and the sea with its location just a few kilometers from the coast of Amalfi.

Eboli has faced several hardships along the way. In the recent past, it was heavily bombed in 1943 during Operation Avalanche in World War II when the allied troops moved in to take over German strongholds. It was also heavily damaged after the Irpinia earthquake on November 23, 1980, whose epicenter was only 40 kilometers away, where again several buildings were destroyed and some fatalities.

Historical monuments include 11th century Colonna Castle with its imposing wall structure, and the small Romanesque-style Basilica of San Pietro alli Marmi (about 1150). The Basilica contains the relics of St. Berniero (co-patron of Eboli), a Spanish nobleman in the 11th century. He abandoned the comfortable life and went on pilgrimage across Europe until he stopped at Eboli, where he later died. The Sanctuary and Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian brings thousands of pilgrims every year to pay homage to the doctor saints. The collegiate mother church of Eboli, Santa Maria della Pietà, was built in the 12th century and houses one of the statues of St. Vito, the other patron saint of Eboli.

There is the Chapel of Santa Maria ad Intra which dates back to the year 977 and gets its name because of its location was within the walls of the city. The Convent and Church of the Most Holy Trinity (also known as St. Anthony of Padua) is filled with many important and historic paintings and statues. The Convent was built in the year 1490 next to the church which had already been a parish since the 12th century. The church houses the miraculous statue of St. Anthony of Padua where it is still venerated today. A museum dedicated to the World War II Operation Avalanche is also located adjacent to the church.

One of the most visible structures towering over the city is the Church and monumental complex of San Francesco of Assisi. It dates back to the year 1286 and is one of the first Franciscan settlements historically documented.

When it was time to leave, I had to direct Tom our of our little parking plaza, and make sure that there were no cars coming in either direction. These streets were not made for automobiles !

GETTING TO MATERA

Tom had checked the map on-line before we left Eboli, and mentioned that there was some construction along the way. The Autostrada route to Matera took us through beautiful countryside. We drove up and up, into the mountains that make up the center of Italy, and through tunnel after tunnel. The Autostrada hugged the mountains for several kilometers, and then we saw the "Detour" signs. Not only did we have to leave the Autostrada, but all of the traffic (including huge tractor-trailers) were routed through narrow, rural country roads in the valley below. In several places we could see that there was no Autostrada at all !

Fortunately, we were not in a hurry, and arrived at Matera in the late afternoon. We met Chiara, our AirBnB host, and she not only welcomed us into our small apartment, but told us the things that are important to see while we are here. She actually walked us into the Old Town giving Tom and I a mini-tour, before going back to her job at her family automotive business.

Tomorrow we will see the Sassi.