The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Vetere

Not far from the village, in Contrada Muraglie, stands the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Vetere, located on the mountain of the same name. Its origins date back to ancient times: it stands on the site of a pagan temple dedicated to Silvanus and Diana the Huntress. With the spread of Christianity between the 13th and 14th centuries, the inhabitants of Grumentum transformed the ancient sacred site into a chapel dedicated to the Madonna.

In 1272, Princess Odolina d'Aquino, niece of St. Thomas Aquinas and wife of Oddone I di Brayda, promoted a complete reconstruction of the building, which was then completed by Princess Caterina, wife of Oddone II di Brayda, who rebuilt the damaged parts, raised the surrounding walls and established the fair on 8 September, which is still celebrated today with great participation.

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the chapel was enlarged and enriched with an important cycle of paintings. The main fresco in the apse, whose attribution is uncertain, depicts God the Father holding the crucified Christ, surrounded by cherubs, with St Mark and St John at his sides and a rocky landscape in the background. The church also preserves 16th- and 17th-century frescoes from the Neapolitan school and a 15th-century plaster statue.

In 2009, the sanctuary suffered significant damage due to the collapse of the false ceiling and the weakening of the wooden trusses, but subsequent restoration work has restored a place of strong identity to the community. During the work, an older fresco was also discovered, but it was deliberately covered to preserve the work above it.