Chiaromonte.
The area around this village is rich in archaeological
finds and tombs containing metal objects of Etrurian
and Greek production. Amongst them there is a treasure
belonging to a princess.
This centre was probably founded in the VI century
by some Greek refugees. It was destroyed several times
by the invasions of the Visigoths and was damaged
by the earthquake of the IX century. It was rebuilt
in the X century. Many scholars think that its name
comes from ‘Mons Clarus’ (Luminous Mountain),
certainly because of its geographic position.
This village is characterised by many palaces, such
as’ Palazzo Dolcetti’, ‘Palazzo
Lauria’, ‘Palazzo Donadio’ and ‘Palazzo
Di Giura’.
In the Church of San Giovanni (XII-XIII century)
many wooden sculptures are kept. Not far from the
village there is the Cistercian Abbey of ‘Santa
Maria del Sagittario’, built in the XII century
and suppressed at the beginning of last century.
