The Sassi di Matera are not simply a place, but a journey through time, a stone labyrinth that tells a thousand-year-old story. Located in the Basilicata region, the Sassi form the historic heart of Matera and are divided into two large districts, the Sasso Caveoso and the Sasso Barisano, separated by the Civita neighbourhood. These settlements are characterised by dwellings carved directly into the limestone, a soft and easily workable stone that has allowed the creation of a uniquely evocative habitat.
The Sasso Caveoso has a more archaic appearance, with houses that retain the original structure of the caves, while the Sasso Barisano has more built facades, despite the homes themselves being largely carved into the rock.
Imagine walking through narrow winding streets, where every corner gives a new view of a place where time seems to stand still: caves turned into houses, frescoed rock churches that speak of long-gone eras, and terraces with breathtaking views, creating a spectacular effect of great visual impact.
The origins of the Sassi go back to prehistory, with traces of human settlement dating back to the Paleolithic era. Over the millennia, the natural caves were expanded and modified to become complex dwellings, complete with rainwater collection systems, storage tanks, cellars and places of worship.
For many centuries, the Sassi were considered a symbol of backwardness and poverty, due to their precarious sanitary conditions, as denounced by Carlo Levi in Christ Stopped at Eboli, so much so that in 1948 they were described as a “national shame” by Alcide De Gasperi. The situation led, in the 1950s, to a programme of evacuating the inhabitants to new neighbourhoods, which was not without difficulties. After this, the Sassi remained abandoned for decades, becoming something of a a ghost town and increasingly dilapidated. Only from the 1980s onwards did a process of recovery and redevelopment of the Sassi begin, culminating in 1993 with their recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and later, in 2019, of Matera as European Capital of Culture.
Today, the Sassi di Matera are an extraordinary example of how a place can be reborn, transformed from a symbol of degradation into a tourist destination of international importance. The ancient houses are now home to museums, hotels, restaurants and artisan workshops, offering an authentic and unforgettable visitor experience.
Matera is not only a place to see, it’s an emotion to experience.