Santa Maria d'Orsoleo, intended for the Observant Franciscan Friars, was built in 1474 by Eligio II della Marra, the Prince of Stigliano and Count of Aliano, expanding upon a previous 12th-century chapel.
The ancient wooden statue of the Madonna of Orsoleo, possibly from the 13th century, is still venerated today and celebrated every year on September 8th. The church that houses it, attached to the complex and lavishly adorned, features a notable wooden choir behind the main altar. Among the sculpted figures, there is also a Madonna with Child seated amidst branches of a tree, with a bear and a lion at her feet.
Various additions made over the years improved the structure, making it increasingly rich. The complex, which never lacked resources, thanks in part to generous donations, was once equipped with a library, a pharmacy, a mill, an oven, an ice house, an olive press, and two cisterns. The rooms were also enriched by a cycle of frescoes by the Lucanian painter Giovanni Todisco di Abriola, depicting episodes from the lives of saints and Christ, such as the Adoration of the Magi, which bears the painter's signature, as well as scenes of the Triumph of Death and Faith.
The nearby Torre Molfese, located along the road leading to the monastery, is believed to have originally served as a watchtower to protect travelers on their way to the convent.
The suppression of the monastic orders in 1861 led to the definitive decline and gradual abandonment of the entire complex.
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.