Laurito
The origins of Laurito owe much to the Byzantine influence over the area during the 9th century AD. Here, Basilian monks took to the rocky hills of the area and built small isolated shelters to live and pray into. These structures, called "Laure" have given the town its name. The Byzantine heritage has left significant traces in the local artwork as in the case of the frescoes and statues decorating the 12th century Chapel of San Filippo d'Agira. The subsequent centuries were eventful times for the city of Laurito. From 947 onward a long succession of lordships, the Lombards, the Normans and numerous feudal families have ruled the town until it became, in 1811, a dukedom. The visible traces of Laurito's lively history can be still seen around the old borgo in its monuments, like the Palazzo Baronale Speranza.
