Matera Photos

Matera description

Matera is the second largest city and capital of the province of Basilicata.

The city is known throughout the world for the historic districts Sassi, recognized World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993 (first site in southern Italy to receive such recognition).

Matera is one of the city decorated for Valor for the War of Liberation that was awarded the Silver Medal for Valor for the sacrifices of its people during the Second World War, having been the first Italian city to rise up in arms against the Nazi-Fascism.

Matera is also known as “City of Rocks“ (Città dei Sassi), because of the peculiarities and uniqueness of its historical center. Dug and built close to the Gravina of Matera, a deep gorge that divides the territory into two, the Sassi in Matera, districts that constitute the old part of town, relax in two valleys, which look to the east slightly compared to the territories subject surroundings, separated from the rock of Civita. This enviable position has made the city actually invisible to his enemies for millennia, allowing it to go virtually unscathed through centuries of history.

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