Santa Margherita, Medieval church and crypt in Melfi, Italy

Santa Margherita is a church entirely carved into volcanic tufa on the slope of Toppo Sant'Agata, along the road from Melfi to Rapolla. Its pointed-arch entrance, 2.60 m high and 4 m wide, opens into a single 12 m hall with a cross vault, divided by a low arch. At the far end is the main chapel with an altar to Saint Margaret of Antioch, flanked by four barrel-vaulted side chapels.

The church was built in the 13th century and shows features reflecting the shift from Byzantine traditions to Gothic design. This mix of styles records a time when building methods were changing in the region.

The interior walls display frescoes from the 14th century showing the life of Saint Margaret and other religious themes. These paintings tell stories through colors and shapes that visitors can understand directly, without needing special knowledge.

The site is located about 4 kilometers from Melfi and accessible via State Road SS303. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear as the path to the entrance is uneven and crosses hilly ground.

The fresco of the Meeting of the Three Living and the Three Dead shows three noblemen and only two skeletons; the third probably stood on a patch of plaster that has since fallen. Unlike most Italian versions of the legend, there is no hermit and no open coffin. The scene follows the layout of miniatures in 13th-century manuscripts of Baudouin de Condé's poem.