Irsina

Perched proudly and majestically on the top of a vast and panoramic rocky hill which dominates unchallenged the endless hilly countryside of the province of Matera, Irsina is unquestionably one of the oldest, noblest and most historically dense cities in the whole of Basilicata. Its fascinating original name, Montepeloso (maintained in use officially and proudly until 1895), seems to derive curiously and directly from the Greek term plusus, which literally means “fertile and rich land”, and which was subsequently modified and adapted by the Latin settlers into the word pilosum.

The vast ancient heart of Irsina is a superb and intact maze of narrow, geometric and winding streets, flanked by austere houses in light stone, finely decorated noble palaces and imposing remains of ancient defensive fortifications that loudly tell of a lively, rich and often disputed medieval past between great powers. But the true undisputed jewel of Irsina, capable of attracting curious art scholars and tourists from all over Italy and the world all year round, is undoubtedly its monumental Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (dating back to the 13th century).

The interior of the Cathedral, rebuilt, enlarged and enriched over the centuries, is an authentic and precious closed-air “museum of the sacred” and a priceless treasure chest of Italian Renaissance art without equal in the entire region. Particularly inside, the extraordinary and magnetic Nanto stone sculpture depicting Saint Eufemia stands out, an absolute masterpiece of rare beauty unanimously attributed to the undisputed genius of the Paduan painter Andrea Mantegna. The grace, delicacy and noble and aristocratic bearing of the sculpture, together with the beautiful and valuable frescoes of evident Giotto school preserved in the nearby Convent of San Francesco, make Irsina a completely essential cultural and artistic destination for anyone who wants to explore the deepest, most unexpected and refined historical and religious heritage of Basilicata.