We started the day by taking a short 10 km ride to the other side of the ravine across the gorge from Matera to get a view from there of the Sassi homes. Also on that side are caves that were also used as dwellings at one time, probably thousands of years ago. There was also a chiesa rupestre (rock church) built into one cave. As we are in Italy there are a number of these cave churches that also date back 1000 years or more, many containing ancient frescoes.
After returning from the other side of the gorge we did some more exploring in Matera. We started with a tour of a subterranean cistern that was discovered in 1980 approximately and explored more thoroughly 10 years later then developed to allow visitors in. We walked through it on elevated metal walkways. All around Matera there are these water collection systems underground as this is a dry and hot region, without lakes due to the porous nature of the limestone and volcanic tufo rock everywhere. Another word for these is ipogei. Apparently we can only see 30%, the other 70% is inaccessible. Then we walked through another more developed area of Sassi homes where there are many homes and businesses in the caves but completely and beautifully redone.
In the evening there was a continuation of last night’s festival going on, it appeared to be religious, but the entire center of the city was all lit up with lights, it almost looked like Christmas. The main pedestrian street was full of people put wandering with the friends and family. Very fun to be there.
Another blue sky morning over ancient Matera
Caves across the gorge from the city
All the open windows and doors are vacated sassi, slowly being renovated and reoccupied
A beautiful bride and her father(?) as seen from our balcony
This remarkable cistern system was full to the roof when in use, and the walls were plastered by hand with impermeable material.
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