Buccino (parco archeologico)

From the plateau overlooking the valleys, where the Platano and the Tanagro join, you can admire the Sele Valley where, since the third millennium BC, man has left traces of his presence. Here rises the ancient city named Volcei, today Buccino : its historical significance is summarized by its position of control over the Tanagro Valley, the Sele plain and the Gulf of Paestum.

A walk through the town centre (during which we suggest you to visit the Archaeological Museum of Volcei) takes you through different stages of the Archaeological Park:

The wall and the 3 Gates
The city wall, built up in the 4th century BC, develops along a perimeter that follows the morphology of the hill. The town has currently three main gates, all dating back to the Middle Ages but put on ancient Roman gates: Consina Gate, San Mauro Gate and Sant' Elia Gate.

Temple “a podio” in S. Spirito Street
The structure is incorporated into a modern building and used as a private house; you can see the remains of a temple “a podio” (in architecture the podium is a raised basement where lay the Etruscan-italic and Roman temples), commonly known as Caesareum, i.e. temple dedicated to the worship of Caesars, maybe dating around the middle of the 1st century BC (60-50 BC). It is a small building (13 x 8.30 m) whose raised elements have been lost, except the podium that has always been in sight, as subsequent buildings basement, as a witness of the past times.

Forum and thermae have wonderful mosaic floor.

Holy area of S. Stefano is a necropolis set on three terraces.

Rocky settlement in Egito Street
Along Egito Street, the town’s thoroughfare, an ancient terracing on three levels during the 6th-7th century AD was transformed into a rock settlement similar to the Sassi di Matera: a series of caves carved into bedrock that were the early homes with attached barns and, later, cellars in use until the earthquake of 1980.

Norman – angevin castle
The Castle has several life stages that testify to a continuous use, from the 12th to the 20th centuries, with successive stages of restoration and conversion over the years. In the 12th century was built the square Tower – Mastio– the only one example of the Norman construction’s stage, whose original structure remained unchanged until the late 13th – early 14th century AD, when Angevin added a defensive apparatus with two circular towers and city wall.