Beauty and mystery are the most appropriate terms to describe this small town in Basilicata. The beauty is that of a village perched on a mountain (833 meters above sea level) with high walls that meet the eye of the viewer along with the imposing cathedral that stands between the ancient streets of the old town. It is no coincidence that Acerenza has entered the ranking of the most beautiful villages in Italy!
In this picture-postcard scenery, however, are hidden fascinating mysteries. Over the centuries Acerenza has been a land of passage of the Crusaders who went to the Holy Land and there are even those who argue that the founder of the Order of the Templars, Hugh of the Pagans was born in Basilicata, in a country located a few kilometers from Acerenza.
To confirm this thesis, historians have identified in some mysterious sculptures that adorn the Cathedral symbols dear to the Order’s members.
And what about that little window in the crypt of the Cathedral which, according to some, seems to hold nothing less than the Holy Grail? It is one of the mysteries of Acerenza, and not the only one.
Some scholars claim that in the Cathedral lie the remains of the daughter of Count Vlad III of Wallachia, better known as Count Dracula. The discovery is recent and starts from having identified the symbol of Vlad (a winged dragon) imprinted on the walls of the Cathedral of Acerenza.
