I just watched “On the Vine” a rather cute Canadian/Italian movie set in this small ancient village while the movie was nice the scenery stole the show for me and brought back some very good memories of wandering around just enjoying the scenery and the lived in feel of the village. The town sits on a steep tufa plateau overseeing the junction of the Brandano and Fiumarella rivers most likely the reason it has been settled for almost 3000 years, a source of water nearby and high ground to have great defensive fortifications.
The city has always been at a crossroads for travelers from the Romans traveling to the south when it was known then as Acheruntia having a temple dedicated to Hercules to the crusaders traveling to and from the Holy Land then being called Basilicata by the Normans after raising the Cathedral. The Norman renaming didn’t stick for the town but the region owes its moniker to the this little ancient village and its Duomo dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta e San Canio.
There is a rather mysterious side to Acerenza with a long association with the Knights Templar, there is legend that says within the walls of the cathedral lies the Holy Grail found in the Holy Land then hidden in this quiet unassuming little town. Why would anyone think there is truth to this legend, well Ugo dei Pagani founder of the Order of the Templars was born just a few kilometers from Acerenza and he is reported to have made the return trip from the Holy Land with the chalice and secreted it away in a holy place he was very familiar with.
I took this on Sept 22, 2018 with my D750 and Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 Lens at 28mm 1/20s f`11 ISO 100 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz , and DXO
Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress
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