Maratea

Maratea
Country	Italy
region	Basilicata
province	Potenza (PZ)
Coordinates	40 ° 0 ′ N , 15 ° 43 ′ E Coordinates: 40 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N , 15 ° 43 ′ 0 ″ E
height	300 m slm
surface	67 km²
Residents	4,995 (December 31, 2019)
Population density	75 inhabitants / km²
Post Code	85046
prefix	0973
ISTAT number	076044
Popular name	Marateoti
Patron saint	San Biagio
Website	Maratea

Maratea is an Italian city with 4995 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) in the province of Potenza and the region of Basilicata .

geography

The municipality of Maratea is a major tourist destination and the only town in the Basilicata region on the Tyrrhenian Sea , with about 32 km of coastline on the Gulf of Policastro . The coastline includes cliffs, sandbars, grottos, spacious beaches and lush vegetation of pines, olive trees, oaks, holm oaks , carob trees and a thicket of rosemary , myrtle and gorse (the so-called macchia mediterranea ).

The town stands on a slope of Monte San Biagio (Sankt-Belasiusberg), a mountain range of the Apennines .

Attractions

Churches

The Basilica of San Blasio

The old town at night with the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in the background

Because of its many churches and chapels, Maratea is called "the city of 44 churches".

San Blasio Basilica . The main church of the city is on the top of the hill of San Biagio . It was built in the 6th and 7th centuries. It houses the relics of St. Blaise , in whose honor there is a procession every 2nd Sunday in May. A silver statue of the saint is carried from the basilica through the main streets of the old town.
Santa Maria Maggiore , built in 1505, is the parish church of the old town.
San Vito is the oldest church in the old town and dates from the 9th century.
Santa Maria Annunziata , built in the 16th century
Santa Maria Addolorata , built in 1620
Maria Santissima Immaculata . An ancient predecessor, the Church of San Pietro, was found in the crypt of this church.
Calvary Church , built in the 15th century
Sant'Antonio , built in 1615. In the church there is a precious polyptych .
Sant'Anna , built in the 14th century
San Francesco di Paola , built in the 17th century
Madonna del Rosario , built in 1575. This church is considered to be the most beautiful building in the city.

There are other churches and chapels in the vicinity of Maratea.

Maria Santissima Immacolata at Acquafredda. The tomb of the revolutionary Costabile Carducci is located in the church, built in 1833 .
Santa Maria Addolorata in Cersuta, built in the 17th century

Christ statue

The Christ of Maratea

The statue of Christ in Maratea was created in 1965 by the Florentine sculptor Bruno Innocenti from cement and white Carrara marble . It stands on the summit of Monte San Biagio in front of the facade of the Basilica San Basilio.

The towers

Several historic towers have been preserved on the Maratea coast, both old lighthouses and watchtowers from the time of the Kingdom of Naples , which were built to protect against pirates . They were built towards the end of the 16th century.

The Torre dei Crivi stands north of Acquafredda on a rock on the SS 18. It is still quite well preserved from the outside.
The Torre di Acquafredda is also located near Acquafredda on the Rotondella promontory . The tower is in disrepair as it has recently been used as a quarry.
The Torre Apprezzami l'Asino stands in the north of the municipality of Cersuta on a rocky ridge near the SS 18. It has recently been restored. It owes its name to a local legend according to which a donkey fell into the sea because of the narrow path.

The Torre Santavenere is considered to be one of the most beautiful towers from the time of the Kingdom of Naples. It stands on the territory of the municipality of Fiumicello-Santavenere and is used as a residential tower after renovation.
The Torre di Filocaio was the watchtower of the port of Maratea. After its renovation in the 20th century, it is used as a residential tower.
The Torre Caina has a particularly picturesque location by the sea at the top of a large promontory in the south of Marina di Maratea.
The Torre dei Crivi on a cliff in the north of Acquafredda still shows its former shape as a ruin.