Sassi houses in Matera town, Basilicata region, Southern Italy. Sant'Agostino church in background.

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Matera is a city and a province in the region of Basilicata, in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Matera. The town lies athwart a small canyon, which has been eroded in the course of years by a small stream, the Gravina. Matera has gained international fame for its ancient town, the "Sassi di Matera" (meaning "stones of Matera"). The Sassi originate from a prehistoric (troglodyte) settlement, and are suspected to be some of the first human settlements in Italy. The Sassi are houses dug into the calcareous rock itself, which is characteristic of Basilicata and Apulia. Many of these "houses" are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. The ancient town grew in height on one slope of the ravine created by a river that is now a small stream.

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Size: 3072px × 4608px
Location: Matera town, Basilicata region, Southern Italy.
Photo credit: © J C Clamp / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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