A picturesque path leads through the dense woods to the convent, which, perched on the Vulture caldera, overlooks Lago Piccolo, offering a pleasant contrast to the surrounding nature.

It was built by the Franciscans starting in the 17th century on a much older site. It incorporates the Basilian lavras, and in particular the Great Cave carved into the tuff and dedicated to the archangel Michael. Votive deposits dating back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC have been discovered nearby.

The Grotta dell'Angelo (the Angel Grotto) was where the Italo-Greek monks who used to live in the area gathered to pray.

The entire complex is made up of a multi-storey convent, an 18th-century church and the ancient Byzantine shrine.

The first three levels of the building currently house the Vulture Natural History Museum.