The Story of Matera. Street photography (10 pics)

Have you ever heard about Sassi di Matera? I've read about it occasionally. I was googling about something and found photos of it. And I've decided - I must go there. It was before my self-planned Italian vacations, so all I need to do it to re-arrange everything to add Matera to our itinerary.

Photographs I've seen were awesome but... When I went throw the inconspicuous entrance it was just ... breathtaking. I can't believe my eyes. The medieval Matera was not just old and good preserved town. It was a time travel.

Have a look at the photos, and then I'll tell you it's story.

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Now, could you believe that Matera was one of Italy’s most deprived cities? But let's start from the begining. According to Wikipedia, The Sassi di Matera are two districts (Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano) of the Italian city of Matera. It is located in a remote corner of southern Italy in the small region Basilicata. Sassi means "stones". Matera was a place of ancient cave dwelling.

Until the 1950s, Matera was a source of shame for Italy, a place of poverty, malaria, cholera and typhoid, and high rates of infant mortality. People still lived in caves without electricity, ventilation, running water or drainage. Carlo Levi’s book Christ Stopped at Eboli raised awareness of the desperate conditions people. Less than 70 years ago some 15,000 people, mostly peasants and farmers, were still living in grottoes carved out of limestone that dated back to Matera’s prehistoric era.

Since it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 tousists numbers are slowly growing. Caves have been transformed into stylish hotels and restaurants.

But the biggest step forward is, as for me, that Matera will also be 2019’s European capital of culture. It is getting ready for that significant event already. So, just remember this name: Matera.