Santuario Madonna di Pollino – Civita

A beautiful stage with extensive forests, spectacular viewpoints, large canyons, and majestic trees. In the silence of unrivalled nature.

Sanctuary of Madonna di Pollino. Departure.

Area

Lucania

Difficulty

EE

Distance

26,15 km

Travel time

9 hours

Start

The sanctuary of Madonna del Pollino

Finish

Civita

Difference in altitude

↑ 706m ↓ 1603m

Accessible

June to October

Springs and fountainheads with waypoint

Pitt ‘accurc’ Fountain; Vessello spring; Principe fountain; Civita fountains

River/fiumare crossing (waypoint)

Jannace canal

Route

This splendid ‘journey’ in Pollino, traces the ancient pilgrimage route that the Civitese community has always taken to go to the sanctuary of the Madonna del Pollino on feast days. In the past these days of pilgrimage were also days of rest and of being carefree from the grim and strenuous life that the community led. The route was undertaken in two days of walking, with a night spent in the open on the Acquafredda plateau. They travelled in a caravan, with mules and donkeys, taking provisions and their Sunday best clothes. Upon arrival at the Sanctuary and after having built huts of branches that would serve as shelter for the duration of their stay, they would put on their gala clothes to go to church. The English writer and traveller Norman Douglas notes in his diary in which he describes the place: “the Albanian girls of Civita stand out for their aristocratic elegance, in pleated black silk dresses, discretely edged with gold and white lace, with wide necklines […] these women stroll around the lawn like living tropical flowers ”. The Sanctuary, as Douglas recalls, “stands like a solitary temple, perched, like an eagle’s nest, on the edge of a vertical cliff over the Frida stream. Due to the position and altitude, the view towards the interior of the region is splendid; especially in the evening, when the intense sunlight fades in the distance, the mountains are revealed, chain by chain, the ridges drawn next to each other in soft shades of mauve and green. All the rest is forest, interrupted here and there by rocks “.
Starting from the sacred building, you pass in front of the “Pino Loricato” refuge and take the Park path no. 931. Entering the forest described by Douglas, among majestic beech trees and living rocks, you reach Porcaro plateau. For those who still want to have an idea of the places they will be travelling through, leave the path for a few minutes and take the track that leads to the “Belvedere Supremo” a small bare ridge to the east, which is quickly reached and where you can see the entire area immersed in a living, solid forest of intense green. In the distance appears a grey rocky crest placed longitudinally, with strange trees that, from this distance, appear black, crooked and twisted, and intent on defying the laws of nature and physics. Return to the Porcaro plateau again and continue towards the Jannace canal, a beautiful stream, which in late spring still has a strong flow. Cross the canal on the wooden bridge and continue uphill. The path is clearly evident, well used and very popular and soon leads to the Jannace plateau

Brief historical overview

The sanctuary of Madonna del Pollino is located in the hamlet of Mezzana in the town of San Severino Lucano in the province of Potenza, 1537 metres above the sea, on a rocky spur. The sanctuary is actually a small Romanesque church with three naves. Behind the church there is an annexed building used as a sacristy; next to which there is another building that serves as a dormitory for guests. On the right-hand side, one more building has some rooms for guests on the upper floor and on the ground floor a souvenir shop and a small museum that houses ex-voto souvenirs. According to legend, the history of the sanctuary began between 1725 and 1730 when the Madonna appeared to a shepherd who was taking his flock to pasture. A few days later, two women from the village went to the place where the vision had occurred to ask for mercy for a very sick family member and they found a statue of the Virgin in a small natural cave. Back in the village, they told everyone of the discovery. When they returned to their home, to their joy, they saw that their family member was perfectly healed. As a sign of thanks, the husband of one of the women had a chapel built on the site of the discovery. Even today, three times a year, celebrations are held in memory of this event. On the first Sunday of June, the devoted go up the mountain carrying the statue of the Madonna in a long procession of about twenty kilometres to the sanctuary where they arrive at sunset. Along the way the porters, who take turns carrying the statue, stop every now and then to have refreshments, dance and place the statue on small stands placed along route. The Madonna remains in the sanctuary until the second Sunday of September, when, with a procession in the opposite direction, they take the Virgin back to the Mother Church of San Severino Lucano. However, the most wonderful and intense moment takes place in the first weekend of July, when the Madonna is carried in procession towards two points at the extremities of the Sanctuary: to the north-east towards the Valley and then to the south towards the Pollino mountains. During this weekend the mountain surrounding the sacred building resounds with music to the rhythm of bagpipes, accordions and tambourines. The procession ends with a visit and prayers in the church, which is followed by large lunches. Then the encampment is dismantled, and a date is fixed for the following year. The amazing geographical position of the Sanctuary makes you want to look towards the high peaks of the Pollino and, in the distance, the extremities of Monte Sirino can also be seen.

Serra di Crispo. Bonsai Bosnian pines.

Civita, one of the “Borghi più belli d’Italia”, is an arbëreshë village at the heart of the Pollino National Park. It is highly recommended to visit the natural reserve “Gole del Raganello”. The evocative Ponte del Diavolo (“Devil’s bridge”) has been for a long time the only way to cross the Raganello stream. According to legend, the construction of the bridge in such a difficult and dangerous place was entrusted to the most skilful builder of the community, with the permission of the devil. In order to complete such task (that challenged all norms and rules) it was necessary to seek a little supernatural help. In exchange, the devil asked for the soul of the first person to cross the bridge, usually the very same builder. But the latter deceived the devil, sending a dog across the bridge in his stead. Thus both bridge and builder lived free from curses and obligations. In the proximities of the bridge is the Filanda Filardi, a spinning mill active from 1906 to 1979, that used to card and spin the wool of the many flocks of sheep of the area. Today it has been converted to a museum of industrial archaeology.

Serra di Crispo – Porta Terranova.

Map and elevation profile

Further information

Guides of reference for the stage:
Pasquale Larocca – tel. +39 349 7561374; +39 340 7199850 – mail: info@pollinoadventure.com – web: www.pollinoadventure.com
Domenico Bruno – tel. +39 0973 93473; +39 349 4917189
Antonio Miraglia – tel. +39 0973 93407; +39 347 8690093
Mario Salerno – tel. +39 0973 95059; +39 347 6993880

Where to eat

[Civita]

Restaurant – Agorà – tel. +39 348 3708822​ – mail: info@agoraristorazione.it – web: www.agoraristorazione.it
Restaurant – L’antico Ulivo – tel. +39 0981 73333

[Terranova di Pollino]

Farmhouse – Giardino degli Dei – tel.+39 0973 93037 – mail: info@giardinodeglidei.it Agriturismo
Farmhouse – Masseria Cantore – tel. +39 0973 93119 – mail: agriturismomasseriacanotre@libero.it – web: www.masseriacantore.it
Hotel – Picchio nero – tel. +39 0973 93170 – mail: picchionero@picchionero.com – web: www.hotelpicchionero.com
Hotel – Pino Loricato – tel. 345 6000964 – mail: info@hotelpinoloricato.com – web: www.hotelpinoloricato.com
Tavern – Osteria del Baccalà – tel. +39 347 7117530
Restaurant – La bottega dei sapori antichi – tel. +39 391 1390294
Restaurant – La Grotta – tel. +39 0973 93165
Restaurant – Luna Rossa – tel 0973 93254 – mail: valicentifede@gmail.com – web: www.federicovalicenti.it

Extra: not verified

[Civita]

Farmhouse – Raganello – tel. +39 339 2110466 – n.b.: about 3 Km away from the village
Restaurant – Tipico Kamastra – tel. +39 0981 73387

Last update: 2022-07-29