Located in the most western corner of Basilicata, on the border with Campania, the beautiful and quiet Castelgrande has been severely hit, as all the neighbour villages,by the earthquake in 1980. The town , the old Castrum Magnum (or Castrum Grandinis), probably founded by the Normans, faces the Marmo valley. In the historical inner town, perched on a high ground, the Chiesa Madre (Mother Church) stands out with its beautiful XVII Century wooden statues of the Virgin Mary and Saint Sebastian and a XVIII Century carved Choir. Noteworthy are also the San Giovanni gate and the nearby church of the same name. Out of town, the Madonna di Costantinopoli church with other notable artifacts. The Parco dei Colori is the only botanic garden of Basilicata. Dedicated to the XIX Century scientist Guglielmo Gasparrini, it covers nearly two hectares where hundreds of native plants grow. The garden has the shape of a leaf with the Casa delle Farfalle (Butterfly House) at its center, where tropical vegetation and hundreds of rare butterflies are on show. On the Toppo Mount is located the Osservatorio Astronomico di Castelgrande, seat of SINGAO (Southern Italy Neutrino and Gamma Observatory), a 160cm diameter optical telescope controlled by the Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte (Naples). The Castelgrande territory offers walking excursions, water stream sports and climbing.