Murals in Satriano di Lucania, Wall paintings in Satriano di Lucania, Italy.

The murals of Satriano di Lucania are more than 400 painted walls spread through the historic center, on building facades, along streets and around public squares. The first was created in 1983 by Romanian painter Constantin Udroiu, invited by Mayor Vincenzo Giuliano after the 1980 earthquake; it shows Christ as a sower set against the rural landscape. The works follow six themes: the cult of saints around the mother church, the colors of the valley along Corso Trieste, biodiversity and archaeology around Piazza Umberto I, the legend of the Moccio di Abbamonte, and ancient crafts together with scenes from the life of painter Giovanni De Gregorio, known as il Pietrafesa.

The strong earthquake of 1980 damaged the historic center severely, leading Mayor Vincenzo Giuliano to start an art project to revive the town. The murals became a way to rebuild the community and give it a new visual identity.

The murals are grouped into six themes: the cult of the saints around the mother church, the colours of the valley along Corso Trieste, biodiversity and archaeology around Piazza Umberto I, the legend of the Moccio di Abbamonte, and ancient crafts alongside scenes from the life of the painter Pietrafesa, born in the town.

The best way to explore this project is to walk slowly through the old town and discover the different works on the walls as you go. Most of the paintings are easy to reach and open to view, so you can wander at your own pace.

Every year, between five and ten new works are added, so the visual story of the place keeps growing and changing. This means that no two visits will ever be quite the same.