Before we toured Southern Italy, we had never heard of Matera. When a fellow tourist put it on our radar, we quickly discovered that it is a very interesting city with many things to do and a rich, long history. We decided to visit Matera before heading to Rome.

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Where is Matera and why would I want to visit?

First, Matera is a city in Southern Italy in the Basilicata region. The town developed next to the Gravina river in a small canyon. Second, Matera is also known as la città sotterranea (“the underground city”) because of its historical quarter “Sassi”. The Sassi contains many ancient cave dwellings from the Paleolithic period (10,000 BC).

Third, Matera is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in the world. In 1993, UNESCO awarded World Heritage Site status to the Sassi along with the park of the Rupestrian Churches. And last but not least, in 2019 Matera was the European Capital of Culture together with the Bulgarian town of Plovdiv.

Matera Resembles Ancient Jerusalem

If you have seen Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” you unknowingly got your first introduction to Matera. This is where they filmed the Passion because it still looks like the Jerusalem of thousands of years ago.

The Long History of Matera

Even during the old stone age, people were already living here, making it one of the oldest settlements in Italy.

7,000 BC: Cave Dwellers: The Sassi

As early as 7,000 BC, humans moved to this area. They dug out caves, named sassi, from the limestone cliff bordering the Gravina river. The cave dwellers lived on one slope of the ravine created by that river. Because limestone is so soft, it was relatively easy to dig out caves to live in.

The term sasso (singular of sassi) comes from the Latin word “saxum”, meaning a hill, rock or great stone. There sure are a lot of hills and rocks in the sassi! Nowadays, the sassi are a tourist attraction that should not be missed.

8th Century BC: the Greeks: Magna Graecia

During the 8th century BC, Greek settlers began arriving in the coastal areas of Southern Italy. Later, the Romans gave this area the name Magna Graecia (Latin meaning “Great Greece”). Presently these are the regions of Campania, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily. These Greek settlers brought with them their Hellenic civilization, which was to leave a lasting imprint on Italy, such as in the culture of ancient Rome.

251 BC: the Romans – Matheola scaring the elephants…

In 251 BC, the Roman Lucius Caecilius Metellus founded a town in the current location of Matera and named it Matheola. Interestingly, consul Metellus decisively defeated the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal, brother-in-law to Hannibal, at Palermo, Sicily by panicking the enemy’s elephants. Sounds pretty ingenious.

For about six centuries, the Romans kept control of the area. In 476 AD the Western Roman Empire fell to Germanic rule.

476 AD to Middle Ages: A Revolving Door

During the next centuries Germanic, French, Roman, Spanish and Arabian invaders marched through Basilicata. The Ostrogoths held on to the region till mid-6th century when the Byzantines (Eastern Roman Empire) reconquered it. Between 571 and 590, they became part of the Lombard Duchy of Benevento In the following centuries, Saracen raids led to Muslim rule for a short period until the Byzantines conquered Matera once more. Later, they saw Italo-Normans and Germans, who were ousted in the 13th century by the French. Like I said, it was like a revolving door, changing rulers often.

1663 till 20th Century: Basilicata

In 1663, the region of Basilicata (consisting of provinces Potenza and Matera) was created with the city Matera as its capital, later replaced by the city of Potenza. Matera remains the capital of the province of Matera. Eventually they joined the Kingdom of Italy which later morphed into the current Italian republic.

1940s: The Shame of Italy

In 1935 the fascists exiled writer, physician and painter Carlo Levi to Matera for a year. While there, he wrote the novel “Christ stopped at Eboli”, depicting the extensive poverty of the region. He wrote: “In these dark holes with walls cut out of the earth I saw a few miserable beds, and some rags hanging up … I have never in my life seen such a picture of poverty.” This got the attention of the Italian government and in 1952, Matera got enough funds to start constructing new residential areas. The government forcibly moved 15,000 people from their caves to the new city. After this move, the sassi stood empty for a few decades.

1980s and Beyond: Redemption

After a few decades, the sassi was rediscovered by local artists and business men. It didn’t take long before people were starting hotels, restaurants and ateliers, attracting tourists and revitalizing the local economy. As a result, in 1993, UNESCO recognized Matera and its churches as a World Heritage Site. Another important milestone was when the European Communion chose Matera as 2019 Capital of Culture.

The Top 5 Things to Do in Matera

Now that you have read about the fascinating history of Matera, find out what are the best things to do and what not to miss. Please note that there will be a lot of walking and many stairs. Wear comfortable shoes! Most of this area is not wheelchair accessible.

1. Sassi di Matera

Of course you should spend some time in the sassi and feel the vibe of these ancient dwellings and churches. Imagine how for thousands of years people have gone about their business here, carrying food and water up and down the stairs. Raising their kids, chasing their dreams, making a living the best way they could. You will enjoy just walking around, climbing the zigzagging stairs and overlooking the valley and the city.

2. Living in a Cave House

Of course, learning about this city, we wondered what it would be like to live in one of these cave houses. It turns out that you can actually visit an exhibit showing what life was like. Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario is a good sample of a cave house.

Until the 1950s, people lived in these cave houses which they shared with their animals. Lacking basic hygiene, diseases like malaria were running rampant.

3. The Rupestrian Churches

If you are like me, your first question would be “What is a rupestrian church?” Is it some kind of religion I have never heard of? Is it an architectural style? It turns out it simply means “excavated out of rock”, or more simply, a church built inside a cave. Allegedly, there are 155 of them in Matera, so you can pick and choose which ones to visit.

Some of the ones we recommend are

S. Pietro in Monterrone (a Papal Hermit)

During the 11th century, monks. carved this chapel out of the rock to temporarily house the chapter-house of St. Peter and Paul. The present-day church St. Peter and Paul (in the Sasso Caveoso overlooking the square) was under construction.

When they finished that church, they used the crypt as a burial ground. During that time, the common people referred to it as “la carnara” – the charnel (a place to store corpses and/or bones). Alternatively, some scholars consider this chapel to be the Church of St. Peter Morrone, in homage to Pietro da Morrone, a hermit who became Pope in the late 13th century.

However, only five months after his election, he abdicated the papal seat. He wanted to go back to his life of solitude, prayer and contemplation. Many people viewed this as cowardly. Frankly, I would choose a life of contemplation over a public position as pope.

Chiesa San Pietro Caveoso

Also known as “Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church” this church was built in the 13th century. You can find it in the Sasso Caveoso in the square (piazza) of the same name.

This beautiful church definitely is worth a visit!

4. The Cathedral (built in the 13th Century)

The Matera cathedral was built in the 13th century on the ridge that is the highest point of the city. When you visit it, be sure not to miss the view over the city from the church plaza.

The original dedication was to Santa Maria di Matera, as recorded in a contemporary notarial document. Over the next centuries the dedication changed a few times until 1627 when Monsignor Fabrizio Antinori, archbishop of Matera, dedicated the cathedral to the Madonna della Bruna and to Saint Eustace.

Although the outside of the cathedral looks unassuming, the inside is richly decorated. Look up at the ceiling and enjoy the rich decorations!

5. Watch raptors in Matera

Soon after we arrived in Matera, I spotted small raptors circling over our heads. Since I am addicted to watching birds, I was looking forward to figuring out what species they were.

It didn’t take long to find out that Matera, in addition to the sassi, is also famous for its lesser kestrels colony. They are a type of falcon, surprisingly enough not closely related to kestrels. Their Italian name is grillaio and they are all over the city during spring and summer.

In April, these birds travel from Africa to Italy and stay until the end of September. The Materani have adopted this bird and help them out by the construction of particular nest boxes.

During our stay we saw so many of these kestrels, they were everywhere. If you visit at the right time, make sure to keep an eye out for them. Who would have thought that Matera would be such a good place for bird watching?

Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites You Should Visit

World Heritage Sites in the Americas

• Sian Ka’an Biosphere in Mexico: where the sun was born;
• The Everglades: both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve;
• The Statue of Liberty in New York City, USA;
• Take an Alaska cruise and visit Glacier Bay National Park;
• Go watch whales in Quebec City;
• Puerto Rico Does it Better! Old San Juan and fun facts about Puerto Rico

World Heritage Sites in Europe

• Paris around the Seine;
• Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam: right in the middle of the historic Canals District;
• Passau, Germany, often the start or end of a Danube river cruise;
• Matera, Italy: the oldest continually habituated place in the world, also called the City of Caves;

Where To Stay in Matera

Because there were no local Hiltons to use our points, we investigated different options. Thanks to a recommendation, we stayed in Alle Conche, right in the sassi di matera. While we had to climb some stairs, we were rewarded with a nice and comfortable room. What really made this place special to us was the roof terrace, overlooking the city. After a full day in Matera, we were more than ready to sit and take in the views while sipping a glass of good Italian wine.

Alle Conche dates back to the 1700s in an amazing location in the heart of the Sassi. The rooms are partly caves, making it a fitting place to stay in Matera. It was interesting to sleep in a cave house in the “City of Rocks”.

Check out other places to stay in Matera.

Where to Eat in Matera

Right next to Alle Conche, there was an excellent restaurant Oi Mari, where they offered a fixed price menu. It was a chef’s choice menu, so I suspected there was going to be meat. Luckily, it was no problem at all to substitute it for fish, or in this case, octopus.

Oi Marì is located in a cave originally occupied by a now deconsecrated church. It is right in the center of the Sassi, so it is worth a visit for sure. Next time we go we will check out their pizza.

Check out the best restaurants in Matera.

Conclusion

Matera, also called the City of Caves, is an off-the-beaten-path must-see in Italy with many things to do and explore. Have you visited? What was your favorite thing to do? Any other off-the-beaten path destinations you would recommend in Italy?

The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.

Alice Morse Earle

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Further Reading

• Matera 2019. Official web site of Matera 2019 Capital of Culture.
• How Matera Went From Ancient Civilization to Slum to a Hidden Gem. Smithsonian Magazine article diving deep into Matera’s interesting and long history.
• Where to Stay (and What to Eat) in Matera, Italy. New York Times article wondering about why the historic Puglian towns of Ostuni and Lecce get all the attention and no one knows about Matera.