Paulilatino - Santa Cristina di Paulilatino

The archaeological area of Santa Cristina just south of Paulilatino covers about one hectar. It was a place of cultural activities over thousands of years, from Bronze Age to - today.

I´ll start with this humble church, erected by Camaldolese monks around 1200, but it underwent numerours re-workings and alterations. It is dedicated to Santa Cristina and still surrounded by around 30 old "muristenes" or "cumbessias", small houses, that once housed the monks and the many pilgrims, as some of the feasts may have taken a week or longer.

Even today pilgrims gather here around the second sunday in May in honour of Santa Cristina, while on the fourth sunday in October the festivities are dedicated to San Serafino.

This "settlement" around the church are the by far youngest structures here.