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There are many ways to discover a city.
You may choose a travel guide, or you may surf the web searching for information or suggestions, or you may not gather information.
In any case, whatever you will do, we suggest you to pay attention to some features while walking around Matera.

 

Collecting water system

In the Sassi there was a long and complex drain system bringing and collecting water from a natural spring and rain to provide the community needs.
This complex collecting water and draining system was damaged and drains and tanks dug in the rock, so much used by the local community, were abandoned. At the moment it is possible to see signs proving the existence of this collecting water system.

 

Modern city center of Matera

In the modern city center of Matera there are buildings and churches, example of the architectural tendencies from the end of the Seventeenth Century until today.
The first building was the present Palazzo Lanfranchi, nowadays it hosts the “Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Basilicata”; furthermore stands out the church of Purgatorio in tardo - Baroque style, the church of San Giovanni Battista, one of the architectural jewels of Matera, and the Baroque church of San Francesco d'Assisi.
Finally there is also Palazzo Gattini, a historic building close to the Cathedral. It was the dwelling of one of the oldest noble families of Matera: the Gattini Counts.

 

Sassi, alleys and churches

We suggest you to pay attention to all the details you will see while walking around Sassi. They’re suggestive and they may appear as a chaotic sequence of alleys and houses.
Furthermore, there are lots of rock churches: some of them are completely carved into the rock, others have only a masonry façade, others are completely built. All of them have valuable paintings testifying the great cave painting.

 

Ancient and contemporary

Matera has lots of spaces carved in the rock. Some of them were restored and have a new life as cultural container and are used for art expositions.
A great example is the MUSMA, “Museum of Contemporary Sculpture”, set up into Palazzo Pomarici built in the Sixteenth.

 

Food and wine

We think that if you want to have a deep knowledge of a territory you have to taste food and wine and get in touch with local cooking and its flavors.
We suggest you to choose carefully the restaurants, bars and pubs in which you will have lunch, dinner or a beer.
If you want, you may try the cooking of the restaurant “Le Bubbole”: it is inside Palazzo Gattini.

 

Surroundings: Murgia materana

The Murgia area is the result of the merger between geological elements and historical-cultural processes. From the Paleolothic until today, man has constantly inhabited this land.
In this area they classified about one hundred and fifty places of worship. The rock culture has left traces and examples of artistic excellence, among which the Cripta del Peccato Originale (Not to be missed!).

 

The team of Palazzo Gattini is prepared to receive you. We will guide you discovering Matera.
Plan your trip to Matera, get in touch with us and reserve your room. We are looking forward to see you!