Evidence of human settlements in Matera’s natural caves, known as the Sassi, trace back to the Paleolithic era. Though it wasn’t all that long ago that the prehistoric caverns served as homes ...

The Sassi di Matera are a series of ancient cave dwellings in the Italian city of Matera, Basilicata which have been inhabited since the Palaeolithic period. In 1993, the Sassi and the Park of the ...

Nestled in Italy lies a true natural and architectural wonder that is considered to be the oldest urban settlement in Europe. The city was built above a ravine, named Gravina of Matera, and is ...

This is the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the ...