Aliano

Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club

At the centre of the impressive Lucanian Calanchi, clinging to a clay ridge, is the town of Aliano , closely linked to the writer Carlo Levi , who described it with the name of Gagliano in Christ Stopped in Eboli, lived here in confinement and appreciated it so much that he wanted to be buried in the town's small cemetery.

There are numerous places connected to the writer, such as the Carlo Levi Art Gallery, which houses photographs and paintings by the artist, and the Literary Park, rich in objects, places and events that tell of his exile in the 1930s and which strive to preserve and enhance the identity, history and cultural heritage and local tradition. In the town, you can also visit the house where he lived, see the permanent exhibition in the former town hall, visit the set of the film adaptation of Christ Stopped at Eboli and watch outdoor theatre performances.

In the historic centre, don't miss the 16th-century church of San Luigi Gonzaga, the curiously shaped House of the Evil Eye, with the appearance of a human face that keeps spirits and negative influences away, and the Museum of Peasant Civilisation, housed in an old oil mill, where objects related to the agricultural and artisanal activity of the past and some "horned masks" typical of the famous Aliano Carnival are on display.

Also worth noting is the "Carlo Levi" National Literary Award, which brings prominent figures of contemporary literature to the town each year.