15 images Created 2 Jan 2019
The Rebirth of Matera, Italy
The southern Italian city of Matera is rapidly becoming a popular tourist destination. Most famous for its cave dwellings, or Sassi, Matera is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. This is because the Sassi originated from prehistoric troglodyte settlements.
As recently as the 1950’s the caves dwellings were inhabited by Italy’s poorest, as an entire family would occupy one dwelling with no running water, electricity or sewage. The family would also share their living quarters with their chickens, sheep and pigs. Diseases such as malaria was rampant, and the child mortality very high.
In 1950 Matera was visited by the Italian prime minister, who was so shocked by the squalid conditions of the city he declared it “a national disgrace.” This lead the government to relocate the population of the slums to housing projects outside of town. After the exodus of Matera’s entire population, the city was abandoned for many years.
A turning point for the renewal of Matera was it’s declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. By this time a small population had moved in and bars, restaurants and hotels started to pop up. The filming of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” also helped boost Matera’s notoriety.
The most recent boon to tourism however, was the city’s selection as the 2019 European Capital of Culture in October, 2014. As the number of tourists increased, so did the Air B&Bs, cave hotels, bars and restaurants.
Matera is comprised of two districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso. The Sasso Barisano is the most inhabited, and hosts the majority of tourist hotels and restaurants. Whereas in the Sasso Caveoso district most of the cave dwellings remain uninhabited. This district is perhaps the most interesting, as many of the abandoned dwellings are accessible for entry.
The best way to explore Matera is by foot, as narrow footpaths and steep stairs run the course of Matera’s labyrinthine structure. There are many vantage points around the upper levels of the city, and getting lost is actually difficult as simply heading downhill will eventually lead to a main thoroughfare or square.
Hopefully Matera will not soon be over run by tourists as in other Italian destinations, but a visit to this historic and fascinating city should probably high on one’s list.
As recently as the 1950’s the caves dwellings were inhabited by Italy’s poorest, as an entire family would occupy one dwelling with no running water, electricity or sewage. The family would also share their living quarters with their chickens, sheep and pigs. Diseases such as malaria was rampant, and the child mortality very high.
In 1950 Matera was visited by the Italian prime minister, who was so shocked by the squalid conditions of the city he declared it “a national disgrace.” This lead the government to relocate the population of the slums to housing projects outside of town. After the exodus of Matera’s entire population, the city was abandoned for many years.
A turning point for the renewal of Matera was it’s declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. By this time a small population had moved in and bars, restaurants and hotels started to pop up. The filming of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” also helped boost Matera’s notoriety.
The most recent boon to tourism however, was the city’s selection as the 2019 European Capital of Culture in October, 2014. As the number of tourists increased, so did the Air B&Bs, cave hotels, bars and restaurants.
Matera is comprised of two districts, Sasso Barisano and Sasso Caveoso. The Sasso Barisano is the most inhabited, and hosts the majority of tourist hotels and restaurants. Whereas in the Sasso Caveoso district most of the cave dwellings remain uninhabited. This district is perhaps the most interesting, as many of the abandoned dwellings are accessible for entry.
The best way to explore Matera is by foot, as narrow footpaths and steep stairs run the course of Matera’s labyrinthine structure. There are many vantage points around the upper levels of the city, and getting lost is actually difficult as simply heading downhill will eventually lead to a main thoroughfare or square.
Hopefully Matera will not soon be over run by tourists as in other Italian destinations, but a visit to this historic and fascinating city should probably high on one’s list.
