The rock-hewn church of Santi Crispo e Crispiano

Located at a short distance from Crispiano, on the eastern slope of the Vallone, in the area of the masseria Li Castelli, the rock-cut church of Santi Crispo e Crispiano still bears the traces of its rural past and the passage of the Basilian monks.

Declared an abbey around the 1000AD, the crypt was entirely dug out of tuff stone and is made up of two chambers, of which one is divided into three naves, featuring two entrances, one larger than the other. The interior houses frescoes depicting Greek saints, such as Santa Maria di Crispiano, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Nicholas and the Christ Pantocrator.

Thanks to the owner’s devotion, the crypt, together with the annexed ancient oil mill, was preserved over time and today it houses a collection of handcrafted cribs.