About travel, orienteering and everything. The unusual cave city of Sassi di Matera

October 18th, 2014

Sassi di Matera is an ancient part of the small modern town of Matera in Italy. It is located in the east of the country and resembles a Roman amphitheater with grotto houses hiding terraces. It has been proven that the place of Sassi was inhabited back in the Neolithic era and has a rich history, including architecture and archaeological finds.

Today Sassi - historical Center Matera, which is located in a set of limestone rocks that form the gorge of the small river Gravina. You can see carved living quarters and underground churches in the rocks. Historians are inclined to assume that the age of underground dwellings is 9 thousand years.

The old town of Sassi is a tangle of houses, caves and chapels. In the Middle Ages, commoners lived on the outskirts of Sassi, in grotto houses, and the aristocratic elite lived in the central part of the city. Today the caves are a tourist attraction. In some grottoes, museums have been opened where the original atmosphere of the old city has been preserved.

You can spend both day and night in the cave city, or you can stay in cave houses with 18 comfortable rooms. Part of the hotel is located in the building of a medieval church.

Built of stone and rock-hewn churches, palaces along with underground catacombs and reservoirs give the Sassi an attractive appearance. Sassi - object world heritage UNESCO.

Let's find out more about this city...

Photo 2.

The core of the city originated on the opposite slopes of a river valley called the Gravina di Matera cleft. During Magna Graecia it was a Greek city, the center of which was Civita. Today it rises here Cathedral, erected in the 13th century. In the Roman era, the city was fortified with a wall, and numerous grottoes and rocky massifs began to be used to build village dwellings, and thus the birth of Sassi neighborhoods. Over time, the neighborhoods grew, the labyrinth of limestone grotto houses grew larger, and the neighborhoods began to be called Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, Civita remained between them.

Sassi (translated as “stones”) is the historical center of Matera, located in a rocky pit and consisting of three districts: Sasso Caveoso, Sasso Barisano and Civita. This place has been inhabited since the Neolithic era and has very rich history, well illustrated by the architecture and archaeological areas found in the Sassi. As a residential area, the Sassi can be said to have been shaped by various civilizations. In the prehistoric era, villages protected by trenches were built here, and in the period from the 9th to the 11th centuries, when the Sassi was inhabited by peoples of eastern origin, the area began to take on urban contours - a system of streets, sewers, and water reservoirs appeared. The Norman-Suevian settlements of the 11th-13th centuries were marked here by powerful military fortifications; they were followed by the Spaniards with Renaissance architecture (15th-16th centuries), and the 17th-18th centuries brought Baroque architecture here.

Photo 3.

The city had many vegetable gardens and hanging gardens covered with vaults. During the Renaissance, these vaults were used for burials, and it turned out that living people lived underground, and the dead were buried above ground. At night, residents lit torches near their homes, and to those who looked at the city from the top of the hill, it might seem that in front of them was another sky strewn with stars. This spectacle so impressed travelers that the origin of the name of the city of Matera began to be mistakenly associated with the Greek word “meteora” - starry sky. Despite the many transformations that Sassi has undergone over the centuries, the city still retains its ancient outline in its layout, which from a bird's eye view resembles the shape of the Greek Omega. The hillsides were cut with irrigation canals that carried water from reservoirs located on the hill that were filled with rainwater. The main components of the city were courtyards with wells, around which were the entrances to living quarters and a bakery. Such courtyards also defined the fundamental cells of Sassi society, since life between its inhabitants was always marked by solidarity and cooperation. Sunlight entered the dwelling from above - in the summer, falling perpendicularly, the rays could not heat the room, and in winter, falling at an angle, the light penetrated deeper into the grottoes and warmed them. In addition, the proximity of large stone masses, which served as natural radiators, made it possible all year round maintain the temperature in homes at approximately 15 degrees.

Photo 4.

In 1623 Matera became the capital of Basilicata and remained there until 1806, then Napoleon Bonaparte moved the capital to Potenza. This was the best period for Matera.
Local residents experienced great difficulties with water. Therefore, they spent their energy not on building houses, but on digging channels and trenches in the limestone to collect water and a system of various cisterns. Water was used not only on the farm, but also for rural work. The village of trenches, as they called it Materu.

A channel for collecting water into a cistern located in one of the houses. Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Thanks to this ancient practice, residents Matera They turned their city into a green place, with hanging gardens, vegetable gardens and trees.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the demographic boom that began four centuries earlier reached its apogee. Additional floors were added to houses, vegetable gardens, pastures and hanging gardens, stone cisterns were adapted for one-room apartments in which people managed to live with mules and sheep.

After the Second World War it was published Carlo Levi's book "Christ Stopped at Eboli", in which Levi wrote about the unbearable living conditions in Sassi di Matera.

He was exiled to the south of Italy for his anti-fascist statements, arriving in Materu, he was horrified by what he saw. In the 1930s half the population lived in caves; due to the heat, many houses were open, dogs, sheep, goats and pigs lay on the floor. “Most families had only one cave, and everyone slept in it together - men, women, children and animals.”

He compares Sassi to a huge funnel, evoking the majestic image of Hell from Dante's Divine Comedy. However, Levi's image turned out to be more than just a poetic metaphor: excessive overpopulation caused a social and sanitary collapse, as a result of which in the 50s the inhabitants were forced to move from the Sassi to other places. People began to settle here again only decades later, starting in 1986.

Carlo Levi saw Materu at a time when the population had grown to its maximum size. There was not enough space and more floors were built over the caves. Hanging gardens and vegetable gardens were no longer planted, and huge families lived in unsanitary conditions, without sewerage, and without observing basic hygiene standards.

Now Sassy is alive again.

Photo 5.

After Sassi di Matera became uninhabited, they became the scenery for many films. Pier Paolo Pasolini filmed “The Gospel According to Matthew” here in 1964, and Mel Gibson “The Passion of the Christ” in 2004.

Sassi di Matera were built in different centuries and by different civilizations. There are prehistoric traces preserved here, churches covered with frescoes from the 7th century. and rocky buildings of the 9th-11th centuries. and later. IN Sasso Caveoso grotto houses have been preserved, some of which can be visited.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

For example, historic house on vico solitario, which reproduces the situation of the times when it was inhabited.

Light came into the house from a small window upstairs. The temperature in the houses was almost constant 15 degrees, the tuff in which the houses were built worked as climate control.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Church of San Pietro Caveoso, built in 1218 on a small square, is one of the most characteristic and bright places V Matera. In the 17th century The church has undergone many changes and acquired a baroque appearance. Artistic paintings and frescoes are stored inside.

Church of San Pietro Caveoso. Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Cathedral towers over Sassy. It was erected in the 13th century. in the Civita quarter, which bisects the two Sasso. It has been closed for many years for restoration, and once belonged to a Benedictine monastery. The cathedral is distinguished by a beautiful, sharp rose-shaped window and a 52-meter bell tower. The cathedral houses the famous Byzantine fresco Madonna della Bruna.

IN Matera more than 130 churches and chapels. In the cave churches, stalactites and stalagmites serve as columns; the uneven walls retain traces of Byzantine frescoes.

Today cave city a popular place with tourists. There are no street names or house numbers, and long alleys may end in dead ends. The entrances to many caves are walled up or blocked, but you can find passages and get inside.

Sassi represents a real " cultural landscape” – this is how it is called in the UNESCO World Heritage records in which it is included. In the Middle Ages, ordinary people lived in the outskirts of Sassi, and the central part of the city was occupied by the aristocratic elite. This part of the city was built on the site of the ancient acropolis, which still holds many surprises. The Sasso Barisano area, located in the northwest at the edge of the cliff, is richest in a variety of sculptural portals and friezes that are hidden in underground catacombs. The Sasso Caveoso district, located to the east, resembles a Roman amphitheater with grotto houses opening onto terraces. In the center of Sassi is the Civita district, which is a rocky outcrop separating the other two districts, on the top of which stands the cathedral. The UNESCO-protected archaeological zone also includes the Murgia plateau and the Gravina di Matera gorge, where unique underground churches are located.

Photo 6.

The panorama of the Sassi is a truly mesmerizing spectacle, as the labyrinth of galleries opens before the eye on a mountain ridge that has protected for centuries mysterious city as if coming out of some oriental fairy tale. Natural grottoes, underground catacombs, ponds, farmsteads, churches and palaces, built of stone or carved into the rock, coexist here, forming an amazing and harmonious natural-urban landscape. The path to Sassi lies through arcades that resemble secret passages. Baroque and Renaissance facades are built here on stone reservoirs from the 8th century, which were adapted for housing. Byzantine churches contain wells that were used in ancient times in the rituals of the cult of Mithra. Some ancient catacombs were used for housing until the 50s of the 20th century, others were abandoned and hidden in the depths of the hill. Under piazza area Vittorio Veneto is home to a huge tank called the “Long Diver” (Palombaro lungo), some sections of which were built three thousand years ago, while others were completed in the 18th century.

Photo 7.

Among the underground catacombs of Sassi are huge monastic complexes, with many cells and unique underground churches carved into stone. Their construction is associated with the arrival in Sassi around 1000 AD of the Basilian monks, who brought with them the architectural traditions of Anatolia and Syria. In the underground churches one can observe a strange mixture of different religious traditions: Orthodox iconostases in Catholic-type basilicas; on Byzantine frescoes, where the Mother of God is usually depicted as a queen, there are accessible folk images. In addition to historical attractions, one of the grottoes houses the largest museum of modern sculpture, MUSMA, whose unique collection contains exhibits illustrating the development of Italian and foreign art from the 19th century to the first decades of the 20th century. Some of the grotto houses where people once lived have now also been turned into museums, where the original furnishings have been preserved or reconstructed, allowing the visitor to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the life of the old Sassi.

Photo 8.

The picturesque landscapes of the ancient city constantly attract filmmakers. Several films have been filmed in Sassi, including Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In Japan they even created an anime called “Ghost of Matera”, where the action takes place in the catacombs of Sassi

Many tourists come to ancient city, so that, as if in a time machine, you can be transported to the Middle Ages. In addition, the traditions of old artisans and workshops have been preserved in Matera. Simple dishes are prepared here, as before. local cuisine: They cook homemade pasta, bake bread and bakery products from Matheran wheat.
From now on, as before, Sissi is the pride of Matera. Local entrepreneurs have turned the ghost town into a tourism center with hotels, clubs and bars. This was made possible thanks to government subsidies, which made it possible to restore more than half of the old city.

Photo 9.

It opened here not long ago unusual hotel, whose rooms are located right in the caves. Now tourists will be able to feel like cavemen (troglodytes) of a primitive society, without breaking away from their usual comfort.

Photo 10.

An unusual hotel town appeared next to the town of Matera. It is located in the medieval cave settlement of Sassi, where about 20 thousand people lived back in 1948. Hundreds of caves and 155 churches were carved into the rocks behind Matera. On this moment all of them are under the protection of UNESCO. In this regard, it seems like a real miracle and a gift for tourists that 18 caves were recently rebuilt into boutique hotels.

Photo 11.

The hotel city called Sassi di Matera was a unique experiment in integrating modern technology into the atmosphere of the medieval past. At the same time, we managed to find a non-standard solution and not turn the cave complex into an ordinary one theme park. At first glance at the doors and rusty keys, you get the impression that this is the entrance to an old barn. Meanwhile, the rooms are full of light and look quite comfortable. The restored cave hotels have everything from comfortable seating to Wi-Fi and luxurious bathrooms. In addition to the walls, some hotels are reminiscent of the past by beds suspended a meter above the floor on metal cables. This is a tribute to the ancient traditions of Sassi. IN medieval city people lived in the same caves with animals, and hanging beds guaranteed them relative privacy from livestock. But the animals produced additional heat and warmed their owners.

Photo 12.

Sassi has a range of simple 3-star hotels and guesthouses, as well as luxury apartments. Accommodation costs 66 euros and above, and breakfast is included in the price. The unique cave city welcomes guests from April to October.

City: Matera
Category: architecture

Matera, city in Italian region Basilicata can rightfully be considered the most an unusual city Italy.

Firstly, the settlement of this place occurred back in the Paleolithic era and since then people have not left these places.

Secondly, “I Sassi di Matera” - the old areas of the city of Matera, these are very unusual houses, carved right into the rock, in soft and pliable limestone and perfectly adapted to the features of the local landscape.

Thirdly, Matera is rightfully considered a place, and the only one in the world, where people live in the same houses as their very distant ancestors. And they began to live in them about nine thousand years ago.

And fourthly, the preservation of this cave settlement makes it possible to observe important stages in the development of history.

In general, the old districts of Matera are entire streets and neighborhoods cut into rock formations, which in some places have retained the appearance corresponding to urban development. The oldest of the cave houses are already at a very respectable age. They are about 7 thousand years old. They look simpler than younger ones, whose age is determined by a thousand years. These are already made with more imagination and have a more complex structure. The churches, also carved into the rock, are even younger - they were founded starting from the 6th century. Their main decorations are frescoes painted much later - in the 11th-12th centuries.

This whole place is a kind of ode to human labor, patience and invention, the ability to use the meager set of available materials that nature gave him. And the special talent not to destroy ancient buildings, but, on the contrary, to preserve them, makes I Sassi di Matera even more unique and unique.

The Italian city of Matera is the oldest locality southern part of the country. It is located in the Basilicata region. Matera is considered the best-preserved example of an ancient cave settlement. From the point of view of the degree of value for world culture and science, this city can be given a well-deserved first place among similar settlements in the entire Mediterranean. A special feature of the city of Matera is that the first local settlements date back to the Paleolithic period.

In 1993 Italian city Matera was included in the UNESCO list.

On a tour of the ancient city, you can see fantastic cave houses, carved right into the rock and called “sassi” (“stones”) in Italian. According to scientists, the age of the most ancient Sassi is about seven thousand years.

There are also “younger” buildings here, the time of construction of which is eloquently evidenced by churches built presumably in the 6th century. The ceilings and walls of some churches in this so-called “cave” city of Matera are decorated with frescoes from the 11th and 12th centuries, which have been perfectly preserved to this day.

The caves, carved out of soft limestone and home to ancient settlements, are now widely known among modern people. And this was greatly facilitated by the turbulent cinematic history of this region of Italy. The city of Matera, with its colorful atmosphere and unique architecture, can be seen in a huge number of Hollywood films.

The Holy Christian Land, medieval Spain, and pre-war Sicily were filmed here. And everywhere the streets of Matera served as a natural and incredibly believable backdrop for the unfolding action. The most famous paintings, the success of which was ensured, among other things, thanks to such decorations, are “The Gospel of Matthew”, “King David”, “The Passion of the Christ” and others.

After the release of the above-mentioned films, Matera, completely unexpectedly for everyone, acquired a new role for itself: this city became very popular among tourists. In terms of visitor numbers, it rivals Italian cities such as Parma, Lucca, Bari and Verona.

Tourists are attracted here, first of all, by the unique beauty and unusualness of the landscape. Similar structures can only be seen in Crimea (Ukraine), Cappadocia (Turkey), as well as in some regions of China, Georgia and India. However, in no other place will tourists have the opportunity to see caves in which such wonderful frescoes are perfectly preserved as in the cave city of Matera.

In addition, the southern Italian city of Matera has many other attractions, photographs of which are a must-have for every tourist visiting the province of Basilicata in their collection. By the way, best photos Italy can be viewed on the travel website tourister.ru. The most varied and interesting photographs of Italy are presented there, after admiring which you will be overcome with a great desire to visit this magnificent country.

Other attractions in Matera include Cathedral Square, the Ridol Museum, the excellent Cathedral and some others. Having visited Italy on an excursion to Matera, a tourist should also not miss the opportunity to visit local restaurants and try amazing local cuisine. In the summer, you can visit the annual St. Mary's Festival, which includes traditional fun fairs, various shows, concert programs and an incredible final fireworks display.

Book a hotel in Matera

To explore the sights of Matera, in particular the cave city of Matera, you will need to stay somewhere. Below are Matera hotels especially for you, divided into three categories: popular hotels, luxury hotels and cheap hotels. Here you can book a room at the Matera hotel in advance according to your wishes and financial capabilities. For your convenience, here is information about the location of the hotels relative to the city center, as well as the number of stars.

Simply select the hotel you like by clicking on the “View Hotel” button. Next you will find yourself on a page where you can book a hotel. There you can also find more detailed information about it, reviews, ratings, photographs, location on the map, features and, of course, prices.

If you want to look at other hotels, you can simply select the city of Matera from above, and you will see a list of all Matera hotels available for booking.

We were on our way to Sicily. In order to have time to see Matera and not to be completely overwhelmed by the move, we decided to spend the night in Cosenza. On the way to Cosenza we stopped in Matera - another amazing city.

The first inhabitants appeared here already in Paleolithic times. It is believed that the city was founded by the Romans in the 3rd century BC. Further, the city repeatedly changed owners from the Saracens to the Normans. Matera managed to be the capital of Basilicata until Napoleon came and returned the title of capital to Potenza. In September 1943, Matera rose up against the German occupiers - the first Italian city to fight the Wehrmacht.

Modern Matera seemed to be a rather large, noisy and lively city. At the tourist office they provided us with a map and joyfully informed us that in the evening we were expected... alive. Of course, we didn’t stay at the nativity scene - we had to go to Cosenza, but the living nativity scene in Matera must also be quite fabulous. Armed with a map and having estimated approximate route, we set off to trample centuries-old pavements in Old city, which is called Sassi (literally "stones"). The name Sassi comes from prehistoric troglodytic times. It is believed that this was the first settlement on the territory of modern Italy. Sassi greeted us with a small Christmas market.

However, not paying attention to the market, we immediately ran up to the first “viewpoint” point indicated on the map - wow, what a view it opened up!

Meanwhile, at the market, people are crowding in line for a warm wine drink reminiscent of Glühwein. In addition, there was a tasting of local wine.

We immediately popped into a lazy cafe to drink coffee and watch the few people walking around the market and trying local products.

A kind butcher, where you can try different sausages (we somehow didn’t really like his sausage)

And in the next tent you can eat the tasted sausage with luxurious bread and olive oil (but it was delicious)

After walking around the market, the motherly grannies sat down to rest

Immediately we come across the inconspicuous church of Santa Chiara, which was built at the end of the 17th century. The church was built by the workers of the seminary, which by that time had been founded in Matera. The church portal is very simple and geometric. The central niche is occupied by a statue of Madonna del Carmine. In the side niches are St. Clare and St. Francis.

The impressive wooden doors look very medieval, although they were only made in the 18th century.

The decor of this church will repeat one single motif - death. At that time (18th century) such decorations were very fashionable. Then death did not cause fear, but was considered the beginning of a new life. The wooden doors are divided into 36 panels, each dedicated to the theme of death - skulls and crossbones, sometimes wearing the crowns of rulers, hinting that after death all are equal.

Right there, above the doors, the unfortunate soul is roasting under the supervision of two skeletons

We look inside - it is deserted and very joyful. Look how wonderful the colors and roses are!

We leave the church and delve into the labyrinth of Matera streets. It is clear that the city, although quiet, is residential

Luckily for us, the cloudy sky began to falter and the sun’s rays began to break through the dense clouds

Looks like a local bandit - his ear is torn

Who said that Matera is a dead city? Quite alive!

We reach the next observation deck near the church of San Pietro Caveoso and greedily lick our lips at the troglodyte caves on the opposite side of la Gravina. Some lucky people wander there, looking into ancient dwellings, but we simply didn’t have enough time to walk along the other side of the Gravina.

Morton in “From Rome to Sicily. Walks in Southern Italy” writes: “On both slopes of the valley empty cave houses were visible. One bank of the river is called Sasso Caveoso, the other Sasso Barisano. The word “Sasso” means “rock” Until now, I have never seen anything like it. Unlike most cities, which are ashamed of their slums, Matera, confident in its unique picturesqueness, has created observation decks, from which you can get a good look at the caves. There is even a Strada Panoramica dei Sassi that covers the entire area. According to a local guidebook, it “offers the tourist an unusual experience.”

However, our envy ends immediately, because it is on our side that one of the most important churches of Matera is located - San Pietro Caveoso, dedicated to the Apostle Peter. The facade of San Pietro Caveoso took its shape in the 13th and early 14th centuries, while the building itself was built in 1218. On the facade there are statues of saints: St. Paul, St. Peter and the Virgin Mary, under whose hem are hiding those who asked her for protection.

The Virgin Mary with her clients - it is interesting that on the left the sufferers are depicted in caps. At the time the church was built, there were many religious brotherhoods, and such caps ensured the anonymity of the brothers.

Silence and tranquility reign inside the church; in December, an unusual nativity scene takes center stage. It immediately attracts the visitor's attention with its shape and its soft yellow light.

There were parishioners in the church, so we did not disturb their prayers, but quietly retreated. True, we didn’t walk for long - literally around the corner is the Casa Grotto di vico Solitario - a cave museum. I highly recommend going on a tour there: it won’t take much time, but it will give a clear idea of how people lived in Matera literally until recently. It's hard to believe, but until the 50-60s people continued to live in caves carved out of stone. In the 1950s, a campaign began to evict people from the Sassi, but people were reluctant to leave, some later returning to their centuries-old homes. Only here could people boast that they lived in the same houses as their ancestors 9,000 years ago. Until 1980, the empty houses were a shelter for the homeless and poor, until the city administration decided to take control of everything. Through the efforts of the administration, Matera has turned into a tourist and cinematic city.

Here is what Morton writes about old Matera:

“Matera... I can’t remember anything written in English about this city. As far as I know, none of our early travelers visited it - neither Gissing nor Norman Douglas. The most complete account is in English translation- is the book “Christ Stopped at Eboli” by Carlo Levi. Scary description. Readers of this book will recall that when the writer was exiled there in the 1930s for making anti-fascist statements, his sister, a doctor in Turin, received permission to visit her brother in a remote mountain town south of Matera. Arriving in Matera by train, he was horrified by what he saw. In the 1930s, half the population of forty thousand lived in caves on the opposite slopes of the river valley. “This is how schoolchildren imagine Dante’s hell,” she told her brother.

“Because of the heat, the houses were open,” she continued, “and along the way I involuntarily looked into the caves, the light into which penetrated only through open doors. Some caves did not have a normal entrance at all, but only a hatch and steps. Through the dark openings one could see earthen walls, miserable furniture, beds and rags hanging out to dry. There were dogs, sheep, goats and pigs lying on the floor. Most families had only one cave, and everyone slept in it together - men, women, children and animals. This is how twenty thousand people live.

There are a lot of children here. They appeared everywhere, in the dust, in the heat, among flies, completely naked or dressed in rags. Never in my life have I seen such poverty... The women, noticing that I was looking through the door, invited me to come in, and in the darkness, in the stinking caves, I saw children lying on the floor under torn blankets. They were feverish and their teeth were chattering. Others were left with only skin and bones due to dysentery and could barely drag their feet.”

Children followed Miss Levy and shouted something, but she did not understand their dialect. I thought they were asking for pennies to buy sweets, but then I made out their words: “Signorina, give me quinine.”

So, let's look into a typical dwelling - a cave, hollowed out. At the entrance, we were asked in what language to turn on the accompaniment - inside there are speakers from which the announcer talks about life in such a cave. A family with 7 children lived here. Parents and very young children slept on the bed, the rest slept on chests and chests of drawers.

The small kitchenette is strategically located above the water tank - the ancient builders showed marvels of engineering by building an entire rainwater collection system under the old city. Each inhabitant had his own cistern under the cave. It was possible to draw water from the kitchen “without leaving the cash register”

Quite a spacious room for people (although, of course, the sleeping accommodations are rather poor)

Right there, in the back of the house, there is a room for livestock. One can only guess what “cozy, homely” smells inhabited this cave.

Having satisfied our curiosity, we continued our walk around the city. View of another part of the city - this part looks more like a “dead” city

And on the opposite side of la Gravina there are tuff “houses” without any amenities

Bricks wedged into stones - this is the back wall of the Church of Madonna de Idris

The intertwined streets of Sassi were once again briefly illuminated by the sun

City view. In the left corner you can see the top of the church with skulls, which I talked about above.

Morton: "It would be wrong to describe Sassi as a cave town. There are houses built over the caves - at various angles, of all sizes, periods and styles. They rise to the top in terraces; there are no roads, only narrow passages and steps leading up or down. There is no development plan either. The houses resemble termite mounds rather than human habitation."

Without even noticing it, we wandered into the cinematic part of Matera

Matera (Sassi) played the role of Jerusalem in several films

"The Gospel According to St. Matthew" (1964)
"King David" (King David, 1985)
"The Passion of the Christ" (2004)
"Divine Birth" (The Nativity Story, 2006)

Also filmed in Matera:
"She Wolf" (La Lupa, 1953)
"The Star Maker" (1995)
"The Omen" (The Omenb 2006)

And this sign reminds me of Gibson, who walked these streets in The Passion of the Christ.

In the sun, Matera comes alive and becomes less gloomy than in cloudy weather.

Lingerie in pastel colors

We accidentally came across a market with souvenirs and crafts

Immediately some tourist group of Italians materialized - they began buying whistles like hot cakes

And I was fascinated by owls :)

Local artists who sell paintings at the same market are very inventive

Rising higher from the market, we realized that we were in a completely abandoned part of the city. But what a view!

Abandoned, emptying dwellings fascinated me, perhaps even more than the polished museum.

In some it is clear that once either homeless people or someone else hung out

We ended our acquaintance with Matera with a cup of aromatic espresso. Of course, it would be great to spend the night in Matera and look at the city illuminated by lights and live in a cave, but this did not fit into our schedule...

An extraordinary city, isn't it? Alberobello is a cozy and playful fairy tale, and Matera is a monumental story.

Known throughout the world for its historical quarters Sassi, where the cave houses are located included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- an ancient city, a settlement on this site existed in the Neolithic era, and even then the relationship with the rocks was very close.
The core of the city originated on the opposite slopes of a river valley called the Gravina di Matera cleft.
During Magna Graecia it was a Greek city, the center of which was Civita. Today the Cathedral, built in the 13th century, stands here.
In the Roman era, the city was fortified with a wall, and numerous grottoes and rocky massifs began to be used to build village dwellings, and thus the birth of Sassi neighborhoods. Over time, the neighborhoods grew, the labyrinth of limestone grotto houses grew larger, and the neighborhoods began to be called Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, Civita remained between them.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

The word "sasso" means "rock".
The construction of houses in caves was due to climatic conditions and the need for protection, as well as to make better use of the natural and geographical capabilities of the place.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

In the 8th century to the ground Matera Many Byzantine monks moved in and built churches in the grottoes, similar to those that can be found in Cappadocia (Turkey) or Syria.
Local residents who were in difficult financial situations built their homes in Sassy using natural grottoes. The streets of the cave city were narrow with many steps and ladders.
In 1623 Matera became the capital of Basilicata and remained there until 1806, then Napoleon Bonaparte moved the capital to Potenza. This was the best period for Matera.
Local residents experienced great difficulties with water. Therefore, they spent their energy not on building houses, but on digging channels and trenches in the limestone to collect water and a system of various cisterns. Water was used not only on the farm, but also for rural work. The village of trenches, as they called it Materu.

A channel for collecting water into a cistern located in one of the houses. Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Thanks to this ancient practice, residents Matera They turned their city into a green place, with hanging gardens, vegetable gardens and trees.

After the Second World War it was published Carlo Levi's book "Christ Stopped at Eboli", in which Levi wrote about the unbearable living conditions in Sassi di Matera.
He was exiled to the south of Italy for his anti-fascist statements, arriving in Materu, he was horrified by what he saw. In the 1930s half the population lived in caves; due to the heat, many houses were open, dogs, sheep, goats and pigs lay on the floor. “Most families had only one cave, and everyone slept in it together - men, women, children and animals.”
Carlo Levi saw Materu at a time when the population had grown to its maximum size. There was not enough space and more floors were built over the caves. Hanging gardens and vegetable gardens were no longer planted, and huge families lived in unsanitary conditions, without sewerage, and without observing basic hygiene standards.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Then arose "Matera's problem", which grew to the size of a “shame on the nation.” And in 1952 they decided to move residents to new quarters, freeing up the cave houses. At that time, about 15 thousand people lived in Sassi. Many of them did not want to leave their homes and returned back, then the authorities walled up the entrances to the caves with cement.
In 1993 Sassi di Matera(Sasso Caveoso, Sasso Barisano and Civita) were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
After Sassi di Matera became uninhabited, they became the scenery for many films. Pier Paolo Pasolini filmed “The Gospel According to Matthew” here in 1964, and Mel Gibson “The Passion of the Christ” in 2004.

Sassi di Matera were built in different centuries and by different civilizations. There are prehistoric traces preserved here, churches covered with frescoes from the 7th century. and rocky buildings of the 9th-11th centuries. and later.
IN Sasso Caveoso grotto houses have been preserved, some of which can be visited.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

For example, historic house on vico solitario, which reproduces the situation of the times when it was inhabited.

In the middle of the room there is a high bed on which the whole family slept. Under the bed there is a pot, a trough and other utensils that were taken out during the day. There is also a stall for animals and a dining table. The kitchenette was in a separate small room, another room was used as a utility room, a “pipe hole” was used to collect snow, which melted and provided precious water.
Light came into the house from a small window upstairs. The temperature in the houses was almost constant 15 degrees, the tuff in which the houses were built worked as climate control.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Church of San Pietro Caveoso, built in 1218 on a small square, is one of the most characteristic and vibrant places in Matera. In the 17th century The church has undergone many changes and acquired a baroque appearance. Artistic paintings and frescoes are stored inside.

Church of San Pietro Caveoso. Matera.

IN Matera more than 130 churches and chapels. In the cave churches, stalactites and stalagmites serve as columns; the uneven walls retain traces of Byzantine frescoes.

Today the cave city is a popular tourist destination. There are no street names or house numbers, and long alleys may end in dead ends. The entrances to many caves are walled up or blocked, but you can find passages and get inside.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.

Some caves house hotels and restaurants. Lunch or dinner overlooking the world's most famous slum can be an unforgettable experience.

Matera. Basilicata. Italy.