Picerno.
The origins of Picerno date back to the II century B.C., as some ruins and some tombs show. The whole village was seriously damaged by the earthquake of 1857, which also stroke other villages nearby.

A characteristic of the old centre is the presence of palaces with beautiful portals. In the middle of Picerno’s lanes there is the mediaeval Tower, with a cylindrical shape, that overlooks the centre.

The Church of the Annunziata, of the XIV century, has a stone facade in late-imperial style, with reliefs representing an amphora, a woman and a family. On the central altar is a small temple, supported by 2 statues and decorated with angels and puttoes. The Church of San Nicola was built on the ruins of the mediaeval Castle in the XVIII century. Its inner part has one nave and two aisles, in it, there are an altar-piece, of the XV century, and some wooden masterpieces.

During the raisings of the Neapolitan Revolution, its inhabitants fought bravely, but were cruelly punished by the Sanfedisti restoration. The flight of steps in front of the Cathedral, where Parson Don Nicola and some other rebels were killed, was the scene of that sad ending.

This is one of the centres in Basilicata, together with Potenza, Tito, Pignola and Trecchina, where the Gaul-Italian dialect is spoken. This probably depends on the migration (XIII century) of some peoples coming from areas in the North of Italy (Monferrato), that amalgamated together with the local communities. (G. Rohlfs).