MONTE VULTURE (anc. Vultur), a mountain of Basilicata, Italy, in the province of Potenza, the summit of which is about 5 m. S. of Melfi. It is an extinct volcano rising to 4365 ft. above sea-level, belonging in Roman times to Apulia, and lying on the boundary between it and Lucania. The crater is densely overgrown with oaks and beeches which harbour wild boars and wolves. There are two small lakes. On the banks of the upper lake stand the Capuchin monastery of San Michele and the picturesque ruined church of Sant’ Ippolito. The city of Rionero in Volture is pleasantly situated 27 m. by rail N. of Potenza, at the foot of Monte Vulture. Pop. (1901), 11,834. It does not seem to be older than the first half of the 17th century. In 1851 it suffered severely from an earthquake.
See G. de Lorenzo, Venosa e la regione del Vulture (Bergamo, 1906).