San Francesco, just off Via Pretoria, is the most interesting old building in Potenza. Founded by the Franciscans in the 13th century and rebuilt repeatedly after earthquakes, the church preserves a beautifully carved Renaissance wooden door from 1499 and a 14th-century Madonna fresco that survived all the disasters.
The interior is small and dim and rewards a quiet visit. It is the closest thing the city has to a medieval atmosphere.