Matera and the Sassi (stones) town

The old part of the town of Matera is one of the most fascinating places in the world, playing witness to a very particolar form of human development. Matera has a rocky ‘tufo’ surface into which Palaeolithic humans dug grottoes intended for use as dwellings. One of the oldest urban quarters in the whole world, which due to its peculiarity has been termed ‘ the underground city’.
Its antique area, known as the Sassi (stones) of Matera, are gigantic sculptures, an urban miracle through which it is possible to discover elements which refer back to various events that have happened through the centuries.
Today the stones of Matera are almost uninhabited, but right up until 1952, they housed 15 000 people until the Italian state declared that the inhabitants be re-housed due to sanitary regulations. The urban settlement which is dug into the rock at Gravina di Matera is the only one of its kind and consists of an intricate network of alleyways, steps, grottoes, arches, kitchen gardens, terraces and chimney tops. The hydraulics system is also completely unique in that it was dug into the ground where cisterns were created to enable the inhabitants to take advantage of a fresh water supply. The inhabitants of Matera slowly came to the surface, so to speak, building rooftops and small, kitchen gardens. A perfect example of historic art concerning human space carved into the limestone or ‘tufo’ rock face.
Towards the end of 1993, the Sassi of Matera were declared as part of the World Cultural Heriatge of UNESCO he patrimony for future generations of humanity’. The Sassi are renown as one of the 365 wonders of the world.
In 1994, Matera was awarded a prize from the European union for the best territorial urban programme. Many churches in Matera were erected between XIII and XIX centuries, the majority in Baroque style – evidence that the town’s people developed in unison with the grottoes. At Matera (55000 inhabitants) one may enjoy a variety of interesting historical influences as well as the ‘new city’.
After having left the area of the Sassi, one may enjoy the suburbs which are characterised by the variety available; small country houses, large farmhouses, small mountain top hamlets.
Places well worth a visit are: the ‘Parco delle Chiese Rupestri del territorio di Matera’ (the Rupestrian churches of Matera), with more than 8000 hectares that have beautifully conserved the natural beauty, a historical witness where one can view the so called ‘gravine’ of Matera; bare, bleak rock faces with a limited vegetation which seem to cut irregular slits into the earth. One may see evidence of previous limestone removals which were carried out by the ancient inhabitants of the area.

For more info visit the website: sassidimatera