Walking through the small lanes, alleyways and stairways of Matera, Italy, is like stepping onto the movie set of a biblical movie. It's hard to imagine that communities of people lived here as recent as a 50 years ago.
The old city is carved out of a rocky ravine. The natural caves were first inhabited centuries ago--as far back as the Palaeolithic era--then transformed into newer forms of architecture by later generations. Look closely and these cave-homes (known in Italy as sassi) are arranged in such a way that the chimney of one home sprouts out of the road above. While the alley above another home may be the roof of other houses below. The maze is an ingenious design, if not a bit chaotic!
As my guide walked me through the old town, she pointed out groupings of sassi, in essence, neighborhoods. Each grouping typically had a small square or common area that accommodated several family residences. While each sasso (singular for sassi) was made up of several independent families, the neighborhood worked together for the greater good. For example, one family in the neighborhood may have raised chickens, and therefore, supplied eggs to the other neighbors; while another family may have had a cow that provided the milk.
In the sassi, you not only see cave-houses, you also find cave-churches, each with their own distict style. As the town began its deterioration, many of these churches were converted into homes for sheep, widows with no family, nuns or the homeless. Many of these churches are open for public viewing, but hours vary. Other are only available to see with a licensed guide.
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