Roman Catholic Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro

XV - XVI (entire building well) The Cathedral Church of Tursi, dedicated to the Annunciation, was probably already existing in the 15th century, in relation to the urban development of the town of Tursi downstream in the modern age, below the oldest historical center with the area of castle and its village, even if the historical term that ascertains its certain existence is the sixteenth century as revealed by decorative elements such as the stone group in stone of the Annunciation, with Angel and Madonna, attributed to the Master of Noepoli and dated to 1519 beyond to the fragments of frescoes with saints, referable to the ancient decoration of 1525, which reappeared in the last restorations on the pillars of the side arches of the presbytery. It was the position of this sacred building in the new urban context, in loco plano et magis opportune, and its convenience for the Bishop and the Curia, who had already seen the movement of the cathedral from Anglona to the urban church of San Michele in 1525. Description The Cathedral has the shape of a Latin cross (for a total length of 41.20 m, from the entrance to the apse, and a width of the three naves of 19.80 m), whose short arm forms a real transept. (30.90 m long and 8.10 m wide) closed on the extreme sides by two large chapels dedicated to the Annunziata and the Madonna del Monte, both sides are characterized by splendid altars with frontal in scagliola from 1731. The central nave ( 9.20 m wide) is flanked by two lower sides (each 4.40 m wide), lower and without windows, with lunettes frescoed by the painter Paradiso in the early 1960s, with scenes from the Old Testament on the left, and of the New Testament on the right, recently restored. The aisles, whose space is punctuated by the roof with cross vaults and creating four bays on each side, are separated from the central by pillars that support round arches, with decorative elements given by pilasters ending with capitals with composite decoration, while faces of angels alternate on the extrados of the arches. It is the width of these arches (with a span of 2.60 m) that gives the building, even in the visual impact alone, greater breadth and development horizontally. Above these arches, on the upper wall, the large windows alternate with oculi decorated with the figures of the minor prophets, attributed by Nigro to the painter Salvatore Donati di Roccella and taken up again in the last restoration.

Characteristic village

In the historic town with so much to tell, an excellent cuisine tradition, a nature in some ways unique in Italy, very hospitable people and low living costs. The rabatana and the country affected by the earthquake would deserve a complete reconstruction, to further promote the tourism it deserves.

Spiritual life center of the diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro

Modern church but with its charm