Matera

Matera is one of the two provincial capitals of Basilicata, a region in southern Italy known worldwide for its Sassi, ancient neighborhoods carved into the rock that represent one of the oldest human settlements still inhabited. The Sassi of Matera, comprising two districts: Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso, were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the first site in southern Italy to receive this recognition.
In 2019, Matera was named European Capital of Culture, the first city in southern Italy to receive this title.

Matera extends along a karst plateau, the Murgia, crossed by the Jurio and Gravina streams, which have formed a deep canyon known as the Gravina di Matera. Matera is geographically very close to Puglia.
Matera boasts a spectacular rocky landscape characterized by a unique morphological context, consisting of the Murgia Materana Park and the Sassi, facing each other and separated by the Gravina canyon. This area features a succession of prehistoric settlements and rock-hewn churches in the Park, and houses and urban environments carved into the rock in the Sassi.

History

Matera is one of the oldest cities in the world, a place where the relationship between humanity and the environment spans every era, from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic settlements and all subsequent phases, the Metal Ages: the Copper Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Matera's history is also well represented throughout the Classical, Roman, and Late Antiquity periods, right up to the periods of great urban development in the Sassi that span every century from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Prehistory
Matera's prehistory is documented in all three phases: the Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic. It continues with the emergence of the first organized settlements—the Neolithic Villages—and subsequently evolves with significant evidence in all subsequent ages, including the Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages.

Ancient Times
The Classical Age is magnificently represented by the settlement on Timmari Hill, which represents the link with the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia. Matera's role during the Roman and Late Antiquity periods was equally important, as it was a center of excellence for the preservation of primary goods.

Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, Matera began an intense phase of urban development with the construction of rock churches, often carved into caves and spaces previously used by man, and with the construction of several large churches such as the Cathedral, San Giovanni and San Biagio, and the first great monasteries.

Renaissance and Eighteenth Century
From the Renaissance to the end of the eighteenth century, Matera experienced a period of great development, characterized by the construction of imposing religious monuments, including all the churches, monasteries, and noble palaces found in the current center of Matera, forming the so-called eighteenth-century axis.

19th and 20th Century
From the mid-19th century, Matera suffered progressive impoverishment due to the succession of events that led to national unification and the World Wars that ended in the mid-20th century. Immediately thereafter, the precarious living conditions in the city led to it being labeled a national shame by politicians in the post-World War I period.

Modern and Contemporary Age
Beginning in the 1960s, Matera underwent a process of rebirth and redevelopment that culminated in UNESCO recognition in 1993.

Today, Matera is a tourist destination of primary national importance, celebrating its thousand-year history and unique cultural heritage.