Matera is a city and a province in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Matera and the capital of Basilicata from 1663 to 1806. The town lies in a small canyon carved out by the Gravina.
Known as “la Città Sotterranea” (the Subterranean City), Matera is well known for being one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Its historical center called “Sassi”, along with the Park of the Rupestrian Churches, is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1993.
On October 17, 2014, Matera was declared Italian host of European Capital of Culture for 2019. Read more The cave-dwellings of Matera ›