Sassi di Matera, Ancient cave settlement district in Matera, Italy
Sassi di Matera is an extensive cave district in the Italian town of Matera, where people cut homes, storerooms and staircases directly from the limestone. The maze of alleys links several levels together, and in places courtyards and squares open up between the rocks.
First inhabitants settled here around 9,000 years ago and used natural caves for shelter, later digging more rooms and adding facades. In the Middle Ages many rock churches appeared, and the district stayed densely populated until the mid‑20th century when it was cleared because of poor hygiene conditions.
The name comes from the Italian word for stones, and the dwellings were created by carving away rock, shaping the townscape for thousands of years. Today residents live again in the restored caves, and the quarter houses restaurants, craft workshops and small galleries set inside the old spaces.
Most paths are stone and lead over uneven steps, so sturdy footwear and time to walk slowly are important. In sunshine the narrow lanes can get hot, so an early morning or late afternoon visit is worthwhile.
Many streets run across the roofs of houses below, so you literally walk on other people's homes. Some caves have only a narrow opening to the outside, and daylight reaches the depths through air shafts.
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