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Seven Longobard Sites Newest Additions to UNESCO Heritage List

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In 2011, UNESCO inscribed Italy’s newest World Heritage sites: The Longobards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.).

Treated as one entity, these seven sites stretch from as far north as Castelseprio, Lombardy to as far south as Benevento in Campania. All seven of these sites represent, according to UNESCO, “the high achievement of the Lombards [Longobards], who migrated from northern Europe and developed their own specific culture in Italy where they ruled over vast territories in the 6th to 8th centuries.”

While the Longobard sites are the newest ones to be recognized by UNESCO, they are among the least well-known of the many UNESCO sites in Italy.

To learn more about each of the “Longobards in Italy” sites, including where they are, how to visit them, and the treasures they contain, visit Italia Longobardorum, the website of the group responsible for formally submitting these sites for UNESCO World Heritage consideration.

You can also click on the links below for the individual sites:

Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power

Campania

The Santa Sofia complex, Benevento

UNESCO site Santa Sofia in Benevento, Campania / Photo Angelo Tortorella
Santa Sofia in Benevento, Campania / Photo Angelo Tortorella

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

The Gastaldaga area and the Episcopal complex. Cividale del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Tempietto Longobardo in Cividale del Friuli / Photo Cividale.com
Tempietto Longobardo in Cividale del Friuli / Photo Cividale.com

Lombardy

Castelseprio

Castelseprio Archaeological Park: Castrum, Church of Santa Maria Foris Portas, Torba Tower and Abbey

Santa Maria Foris Portas, part of the UNESCO complex in Castelseprio, Lombardy (The Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power)
Santa Maria Foris Portas, part of the UNESCO complex in Castelseprio, Lombardy (The Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power) / Photo Adelchi [CC BY-SA]
Torba Tower, part of the UNESCO complex in Castelseprio, Lombardy (The Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power)
Torba Tower, part of the UNESCO complex in Castelseprio, Lombardy (The Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power) / Photo Adelchi [CC BY-SA]

Brescia

Monumental area with Monastic complex of San Salvatore–Santa Giulia

Interior of Santa Maria in Solario, part of the UNESCO monastic complex of San Salvatore-Santa Giulia in Brescia, Lombardy (The Longobards in Italy: Places of the Power)

The monumental area with the monastic complex of San Salvatore-Santa Giulia. Brescia, Lombardy / Photo RobyBS89 [Public domain]

Puglia

Sanctuary of San Michele, Monte Sant’Angelo

Saint Michael at the Sanctuary of Saint Michael in Puglia
Saint Michael at the Sanctuary of Saint Michael in Puglia / Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Umbria

Campello sul Clitunno

The Clitunno Tempietto

Tempietto del Clitunno / Photo Polomuseale Umbria

Spoleto

Basilica of San Salvatore

Basilica of San Salvatore in Spoleto, Umbria
Basilica of San Salvatore in Spoleto, Umbria / Photo Melanie Renzulli
Last updated on May 21st, 2021

Post first published on July 26, 2011

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