Chiostro Convento di San Pietro Craco Vecchia

The Franciscan Convent of San Pietro stands just outside the walls of Craco Vecchia, beside the church of San Pietro Principe degli Apostoli. Its cloister belongs to a religious complex dating to around 1630, set at the edge of the hill town later abandoned after landslides beginning in 1963.

Why it matters

The convent is part of Craco’s religious and architectural history. Friars of the Order of Friars Minor Observant dedicated the house to St Peter. Local tradition also associates the complex with San Vincenzo martyr, whose remains were reportedly kept there from the late eighteenth century; this tradition gave rise to the name Convento di San Vincenzo.

What to notice

The convent’s cloister forms the heart of the complex, with the adjacent church completing the Franciscan ensemble outside the old town walls. The surrounding landscape is marked by the eroded clay slopes known as the calanchi. The convent’s position at the entrance to Craco Vecchia relates it closely to the town’s abandoned streets and skyline.

Context and history

The regional tourism authority dates the convent and its adjoining church to around 1630. The settlement of Craco took shape from around 1200, according to the Craco Society’s account. Landslides began in 1963, prompting the relocation of the hilltop community to Craco Peschiera over the following years. Restored convent rooms reopened in 2016 as the Museo Emozionale di Craco. In 2025 the convent also hosted the presentation of Craco Accessibile, a project focused on digital documentation and virtual reconstruction of the borgo.