Potenza, Regional capital city in Basilicata, Italy
Description
Potenza is a regional capital in Basilicata, southern Italy, sitting at 819 meters above sea level. The city spreads across several elevation levels along hillsides, with historic quarters and newer districts connected by an extensive public escalator network.
History
Romans founded the settlement of Potentia in 272 BC as a military outpost in the southern Apennines. During the Middle Ages, control shifted several times between Normans, Swabians and later the Spanish crown, turning the place into an important administrative center.
Culture
The name recalls the Roman foundation, while churches such as San Michele show how earthquakes over the centuries repeatedly led to rebuilding. Locals use the escalators daily as part of their routine, giving the cityscape a practical and modern character.
Practical
Public escalators ease the climb between different city quarters and are especially helpful in hot weather or for visitors with limited mobility. Walking remains the best way to explore the winding lanes and squares in depth.
Did you know?
The National Archaeological Museum of Basilicata in Palazzo Loffredo preserves finds from the ancient Lucanians and offers insight into pre-Roman burial rites and pottery traditions. Less known is that the city has been regularly affected by earthquakes, which led to ongoing infrastructure modernization.
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Basilicata stretches between the Apennines and the Ionian Sea in the south of Italy. This region invites you to see varied landscapes, villages built on the rocks and a history that goes back to ancient times. Matera, listed as a world heritage site, shows its Sassi, old homes carved in limestone....
Bridge over the Basento river
787 m
Cathedral of San Gerardo
942 m
Chiesa della Santissima Trinità
657 m
Teatro Francesco Stabile
575 m
Riserva regionale Lago Pantano di Pignola
6.7 km
Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo
520 m
Chiesa e convento di Santa Maria del Sepolcro
1.4 km
Palazzo Reale
684 m
Palazzo Loffredo
892 m
Serra di Vaglio archaeological park
9.6 km
Chiesa e convento di San Francesco
648 m
Ex palazzo della Banca Popolare di Pescopagano
620 m
Parco Villa di Santa Maria
1.2 km
Palazzo della Provincia
620 m
Museo provinciale di Potenza
1.8 km
Torre Guevara
1.1 km
Chiesa di San Rocco
1.4 km
National Library of Potenza
1.2 km
Villa romana di Malvaccaro
1.9 km
Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Riformati
13 km
Palazzo Corbo di Basso
13.1 km
Palazzo della Banca d'Italia
762 m
Chiesa di Santa Lucia
382 m
Santa Maria del Carmine
13 km
Monastero di San Luca
933 m
Palazzo Bonifacio
1.1 km
Palazzo del Fascio
784 m
Biblioteca provinciale di Potenza
1.9 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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