Corleto is on a rock over the Rapi and Palata-Piedilarme streams.
It is 683 m above the sea-level. The townis rich of woods, made
of beeches, chestnut trees, maple trees, hollies and badgers. The
most typical tree is the white fir. The typical animal that lives
in the woods is the wild cat.
The Museo Naturalistico degli Alburni is very interesting: it is a very important museum in which there is a permanent show of vertebrates and invertebrates of European fauna, with 530 species of birds, 60 species of mammalians, crustaceans and insects (more than 20.000 examples). There is also a rich library. The most important event is the Caciocavallo and cheese festival (14th August) and the Mountain Feast in July.
HISTORY
Corleto was founded by Lucani that had already conquered the Greek colonies of “Montepruno” (Roscigno) and “Phasis” (Sant’Angelo a Fasanella). Corleto Monforte was founded to better dominate the other two. The name was “Coryletum” to indicate the place where hazelnut trees were.
Corleto was ruled by many different feudatories that built the most beautiful houses of the town.
During barons’ conspiracy against Federico II in 1246, the emperor’s armies destroyed all the territories that had taken part to the conspiracy and burnt the castles. After twenty days of siege, the inhabitants of Corleto launched cheese against them: they wanted to demonstrate that they could resist, they still had a lot of food, they didn't need to launch stones or to use arms. The armies stopped the siege.
FOLKLORE AND EVENTS
• Caciocavallo and cheese festival (14th August)
• Mountain Feast in July
MONUMENTS AND NATURAL BEAUTIES
• The Museo Naturalistico degli Alburni is very interesting: it is a very important museum in which there is a permanent show of vertebrates and invertebrates of European fauna, with 530 species of birds, 60 species of mammalians, crustaceans and insects (more than 20.000 examples). There is also a rich library
• Santa Barbara Church, it is where there was a temple dedicated to Diana, the goddess of hunting, protector of game. The church has three naves with altars in polychrome marbles and monumental organ of 1802 made by Carelli. On the rock there is a bell tower built in 1825
• Middle Ages tower
• Rosario Church, with the painting of XVIII century portraying Our Lady of the Rosary with the fifteen mysteries
• San Giovanni Battista Church built in 1568. The statue of the Saint was bought in Naples in the December 1719 and brought to Corleto on a mule
• Renaissance portal of Ferraro House
• San Teodoro Church, with stone portal of XIII century. It is a real belvedere on Calore valley. The statue of Our Lady is made in Byzantine style, it was imported from Greece
• Madonna della Selice Sanctuary, founded around VI century a.C.
• Piano del Bue, remains of a Roman – Lucana community
• Timpa degli Antichi, rural communities remains, attainable only by foot
• Montagnola, a wonderful wood of maple trees and beeches
testi: Stefania Maffeo
