San Mauro Forte
Comune
Comune di San Mauro Forte
Coat of arms
Location of San Mauro Forte
San Mauro Forte Location of San Mauro Forte in Italy Show map of Italy San Mauro Forte San Mauro Forte (Basilicata) Show map of Basilicata
Coordinates: 40°29′N 16°15′E / 40.483°N 16.250°E / 40.483; 16.250
Country	Italy
Region	Basilicata
Province	Matera (MT)
Government
• Mayor	Nicola Savino
Area [1]
• Total	86.89 km2 (33.55 sq mi)
Elevation	540 m (1,770 ft)
Population  (December 2008)[2]
• Total	1,803
• Density	21/km2 (54/sq mi)
Demonym	Sanmauresi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	75010
Dialing code	0835
Patron saint	San Mauro abate
Saint day	15 January
Website	Official website

San Mauro Forte is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.

History

The area was established in the sixth century.^[3]

It was probably part of Magna Graecia.^[4]

Geography

The town is on a hill, 540 metres (1,770 ft) above sea level, in the west central part of the province. To the north are the communes of Salandra (14 km/9 miles), Oliveto Lucano (15 km/9 miles) and Garaguso (17 km/11 miles). To the east is Ferrandina (31 km/20 miles) with Craco (25 km/15 miles) and Stigliano (31 km/20 miles) to the south. Accettura is (14 km/9 miles) to the south. The provincial capital, Matera, is 70 km/44 miles away, while the administrative capital of the adjacent province, Potenza, is 66 km/41 miles away.

San Mauro Forte is included in the administrative grouping of Upland Communes of the Matera Hills.

Main sights

• Torre Normanna, "Norman Tower"^[5]

• The sixteenth-century Church of Santa Maria Assunta, in which are preserved valuable paintings from the eighteenth century;
• The Church of the Annunciation, built in the sixteenth century by Franciscan monks, with an adjoining convent;
• The Church of St. Mary of the Angels (also known as Chapel of the Rosary or Saint Lucia), of ancient origins;
• The eighteenth-century Church of St. Vincent, with a majolica tiled floor and an eighteenth-century organ;
• The noble palaces, such as Palazzo Arciaerie (today seat of the Town Hall) and Palazzo Lauria, famous for its Baroque-style portal.^[6]

Religious festivals

• The Feast of Saint Maurus, 15 January
• Campanacci, the "Festival of the Cowbell", 16 January^[7][8]

• St Anthony the Abbot, 17 January
• The Feast of Saint Roch, 3 September

Gallery

• 
  Torre Normanna "Norman Tower"
• 
  View of the village
• 
  La Chiesa madre (Main church)

Demographic

Population census