Matera

Matera is the capital of the province of Basilicata and stands on a plateau called Murgia, a rocky platform that extends eastward to the Salento coast of Puglia and slopes southward toward the Ionian Sea.
Matera has a thousand-year history, uninterrupted from the Stone Age to the present day, spanning all the major eras: prehistory, the Metal Ages, late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times.

Over the centuries, Matera has undergone profound transformations, while retaining an identity deeply rooted in the natural landscape of the Murgia. The link between the environment and human intervention still gives rise to an extraordinary landscape formed by the Sassi of Matera, the original and oldest urban center immersed in the surrounding context, made up of canyons, valleys, and plateaus shaped by the Gravina stream in the Murgia Materana Park.

Matera and the Sassi: a cultural heritage unique in the world

In 1993, UNESCO recognized the Sassi of Matera and part of the Murgia Materana Park as a World Heritage Site, the first site in southern Italy to receive this honor, for its exceptional cultural value. The Sassi are home to an evocative mix of inhabited caves, rock churches and hypogea, noble palaces, arches and balconies, all carved into the tuff rock, forming an urban fabric that is unique in the world.

On October 17, 2014, Matera was proclaimed European Capital of Culture 2019, strengthening its position on the international cultural scene.

Matera is immersed in a rocky landscape of extraordinary beauty, rich in culture and traditions, and is home to major national and international exhibitions. Its fascinating and complex history reflects its role as a border town and a meeting point between different civilizations and cultures. From its prehistoric rock-hewn roots, through Byzantine and Eastern influences, to the arrival of the Normans,

Matera has undergone continuous evolution. From Romanesque to Renaissance to Baroque, the last eight centuries have seen attempts to adapt the ancient rock habitat to European architectural styles, generating original and highly valuable urban solutions.

Discover Matera

Visiting Matera means immersing yourself in an exciting journey to discover a unique cultural evolution: a journey through ancient traces and hidden masterpieces, humble testimonies and refined artistic expressions that reveal the deep soul of the city.

The city captivates visitors with its uniqueness: a place often described as “magnetic” for its ability to amaze and arouse indelible emotions. It is considered one of the rock-hewn capitals of the Mediterranean and one of the few examples in the world where concrete traces of a rock-hewn civilization can still be seen.

Walking through Matera gives the impression of being in another era, so much so that numerous filmmakers have chosen it as the setting for historical and religious films.