Episcopia the Byzantine city

Episcopia - Episcopia is a town in the province of Potenza, the town is located at 530 meters above sea level, in the southern part of the province. It is one of the municipalities of the Sinni Valley, a river that also touches this municipality. The name of the city derives from the Greek 'looked down from above' because the town would have been entrusted under the protection of God by the Saints of Christopher, who came to Episcopia in 952 fleeing Saracen persecutions.

The city was born as a Byzantine fortress to defend the borders of the Eastern Roman Empire against the Lombards. The history of the city was very troubled from marquisate to fief and from fief to independent municipality; to remember is the revolution of the nineteenth century which saw as protagonists the peasants who did not want the plebiscite. The fact that made the town known was the fall of a military F24, the fall was very lucky because not only did the pilot not die but also because it touched the city saving many lives. The castle born as a fortress was built on a rocky spur with two opposing and different towers. With the Normans the ancient fortress was enlarged and made home, there are numerous secret passages inside the castle that brought the residents in case of attacks in the mountains. In recent years, archaeological studies have been conducted starting from the caves under the castle to understand the conformity of these caves and passages. The mother church of San Nicola di Bari is spread over three naves. Of great importance is the marble statue of San Nicola placed on a central niche above the main altar. The statue of the Madonna del Piano, located on a chapel in the left aisle, is kept covered all year round with the exception of the festival period. Inside the church there is a painting of the sixteenth century depicting the black Madonna and Child. The monastery of Santa Maria del Piano was founded in 952 by Saints Cristoforo, Seba and Macario, followers of San Basilio. The paintings inside the monastery are discreetly preserved. Interesting are the scenes of Todisco's Flood. Attached to the chapel is the cloister unfortunately in a decaying condition; inside the monastery the statue of the Madonna del Piano is kept between 26 July and 5 August, the days in which her feast is celebrated. The town nestled in the Pollino area is perfect for those who want to take a holiday full of culture and greenery, through the paths it is possible to admire the dense woods. The feast of the Madonna del Piano has very ancient origins, the story tells of how the Madonna was found inside a centuries-old oak tree, probably hidden there by the monks of the abbey, and of how the festive peasants brought her to the village. Since then they have been created with the ears of wheat from the baskets and carried in procession together with the Madonna, during the procession some of the inhabitants dressed in typical traditional clothes enjoy the typical traditional dances.