Montalto Uffugo: History, Music and Nature

Montalto Uffugo combines sacred art, medieval traces, the history of Ruggiero Leoncavallo and wooded mountain landscapes. The town therefore offers a wide range of starting points for a trip to Italy: you can focus equally on architecture and places of remembrance, or on music, nature and Calabrian specialities.

Churches, Towers and Places of Remembrance

The Duomo della Madonna della Serra was built in 1227. Andrea, the Bishop of San Marco, consecrated it as the representative of the Archbishop of Cosenza. Following the earthquake of 12 February 1854, the building was remodelled: a floor plan in the shape of a Greek cross with three naves was transformed into a massive church in the shape of a Latin cross in the neoclassical style. The Duomo also houses a Byzantine wooden sculpture of the enthroned Madonna della Serra with the Child, dating from the 12th to the 15th century.

The Chiesa e Chiostro di San Domenico is one of the oldest buildings in Montalto Uffugo's historic centre. Work began in 1456, and the Baroque façade has stood since the 17th century. The Torre Campanara is the surviving remnant of the fortification known as the “castello novo”, built by the Ruffo counts in the 14th century. The town's historic heritage also includes a Norman tower and the remains of a castle from the Angevin period. Le Carceri del Ducato was formerly used as a prison and commemorates the massacre of the Waldensians who were held captive there.

Leoncavallo as a Cultural Thread Running Through the Town

The Museo Ruggiero Leoncavallo is entirely dedicated to the musician and composer Ruggiero Leoncavallo. It is located in a 15th-century Dominican complex within the ancient Aufugum and collects documents and objects connected with works such as Pagliacci, Mattinata, Zaza and I Medici. Leoncavallo spent six years of his childhood in Montalto Uffugo. He drew inspiration for Pagliacci from a serious crime that he witnessed in Montalto on 5 March 1865. The Leoncavallo Festival is an annual international event in Montalto Uffugo at which numerous artists pay tribute to Ruggiero Leoncavallo.

Mountain Landscapes and Calabrian Flavours

At the western boundary of Montalto Uffugo, the peaks lie within the protected Parco Naturale della Comunità Montana Media Valle del Crati. The Parco Naturale Mangia e Bevi is a wooded area at an altitude of almost 1,000 metres, with mainly forested paths. According to tradition, the mountain pass between Croce di Paola and Montalto is associated with Saint Francis's route to Montalto Uffugo. In Taverna di Montalto Uffugo, the AmariAmoci Festival is dedicated to Calabrian amari liqueurs.

More Destinations

For broader travel planning, also discover Villapiana, Cantinella, Laurignano, Cleto, Roggiano Gravina, Cropalati, Castrovillari and Santa Maria Del Cedro.

For the overview of the wider destination: Cosenza.