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Home / Italy / Matera 11
Matera is a city in the south of Italy that is well known for its cave dwellings. Its historical center referred to as the "Sassi" district is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Read more about our visit to Matera Here.
The Sassi (cave) district of Matera
The town of Matera is perched on the edge of a deep ravine
It is divided into a bustling upper district and the quieter lower Sassi district
The people of Matera used to live in these cave dwellings
From the 8th - 13th centuries, it is believed that such caves provided refuge for the monks from Eastern Anatolia![Peasants took over the caves in the 15th century[Matera - Italy]](../../_data/i/galleries/Italy/Matera/matera_italy0324-2s.jpg)
Peasants took over the caves in the 15th century[Matera - Italy]
By the 18th century some of these caves had evolved into fairly grand mansions and convents
Unfortunately, by the 1950s the Sassi district was overtaken by squalor and poverty
Inhabitants were then forcibly rehoused
Today the streets and steps of Sassi lie empty and silent
Old Town, Matera