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Matera (, ; Materano: ) is a city in the region of
Basilicata it, Lucano (man) it, Lucana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = ...
, in
Southern Italy Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion of the Italian Republic consisting of its southern half. The term ''Mezzogiorno'' today refers to regions that are associated with the peop ...
. As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a complex of cave dwellings carved into the ancient river canyon. Over the course of its history, Matera has been occupied by Romans, Longobards, Byzantines, Saracens, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, and Bourbons. By the late 1800s, Matera's cave dwellings became noted for intractable poverty, poor sanitation, meager working conditions, and rampant disease. Evacuated in 1952, the population was relocated to modern housing, and the Sassi (Italian for "stones") lay abandoned until the 1980s. Renewed vision and investment led to the cave dwellings becoming a noted historic tourism destination, with hotels, small museums and restaurants – and a vibrant arts community. Known as ("the underground city"), the Sassi and the park of the Rupestrian Churches were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. In 2019, Matera was declared a European Capital of Culture.


History

Though scholars continue to debate the date the dwellings were first occupied in Matera, and the continuity of their subsequent occupation, the area of what is now Matera is believed to have been settled since the Palaeolithic (10th millennium BC). This makes it potentially one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in the world. Alternatively it has been suggested by architectural historian Anne Parmly Toxey that the area has been "occupied continuously for at least three millennia". The town of Matera was founded by the Roman Lucius Caecilius Metellus in 251 BC who called it ''Matheola''. In AD 664 Matera was conquered by the Lombards and became part of the Duchy of Benevento. Architectural historian Anne Parmly Toxey writes that "The date of Matera's founding is debated; however, the revered work of the city’s early chroniclers provides numerous, generally accepted accounts of
Goth A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were: *Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history *Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history Goth or Goths may also refer to: * Goth (surname) ...
, Longobard, Byzantine, and Saracen sieges of the city beginning in the eighth century and accelerating through the ninth century AD." In the 7th and 8th centuries the nearby grottos were colonised by both Benedictine and Basilian monastic institutions. The 9th and 10th centuries were characterised by the struggle between the Byzantines and the German emperors, including Louis II, who partially destroyed the city. After the settlement of the Normans in Apulia, Matera was ruled by
William Iron-Arm William I of Hauteville (before 1010 – 1046), known as William Iron Arm,Guillaume Bras-de-fer in French, Guglielmo Braccio di Ferro in Italian and Gugghiermu Vrazzu di Ferru in Sicilian. was a Norman adventurer who was the founder of the ...
from 1043. After a short communal phase and a series of pestilences and earthquakes, the city became an Aragonese possession in the 15th century, and was given in fief to the barons of the Tramontano family. In 1514, however, the population rebelled against the oppression and killed Count Giovanni Carlo Tramontano. In the 17th century Matera was handed over to the Orsini and then became part of the
Terra d'Otranto The Terra di Otranto, or Terra d’Otranto (in English, Land of Otranto), is an historical and geographical region of Apulia, largely corresponding to the Salento peninsula, anciently part of the Kingdom of Sicily and later of the Kingdom of ...
, in
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
. Later it was capital of the province of Basilicata, a position it retained until 1806, when Joseph Bonaparte assigned it to
Potenza Potenza (, also , ; , Potentino dialect: ''Putenz'') is a ''comune'' in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata (former Lucania). Capital of the Province of Potenza and the Basilicata region, the city is the highest regional capital and one ...
. In 1927, it became capital of the new province of Matera.


Government

Since local government political reorganization in 1993, Matera has been governed by the City Council of Matera. Voters elect directly 32 councilors and the Mayor of Matera every five years.


Main sights


The Sassi (ancient town)

Matera has gained international fame for its ancient town, the "Sassi di Matera". The Sassi originated in a prehistoric
troglodyte A troglodyte is a human cave dweller, from the Greek 'hole, mouse-hole' and 'go in, dive in'. Troglodyte and derived forms may also refer to: Historiography * ''Troglodytae'' or ''Troglodyti'', an ancient group of people from the African Red ...
settlement, and these dwellings are thought to be among the first ever human settlements in what is now Italy. The Sassi are habitations dug into the calcareous rock itself, which is characteristic of
Basilicata it, Lucano (man) it, Lucana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = ...
and
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
. Many of them are really little more than small caverns, and in some parts of the Sassi a street lies on top of another group of dwellings. The ancient town grew up on one slope of the rocky ravine created by a river that is now a small stream, and this ravine is known locally as "la Gravina". In the 1950s, as part of a policy to clear the extreme poverty of the Sassi, the government of Italy used force to relocate most of the population of the Sassi to new public housing in the developing modern city. Until the late 1980s the Sassi was still considered an area of poverty, since its dwellings were, and in most cases still are, uninhabitable and dangerous. The present local administration, however, has become more tourism-orientated, and it has promoted the regeneration of the Sassi as a picturesque tourist attraction with the aid of the Italian government, UNESCO, and Hollywood. Today there are many thriving businesses, pubs and hotels there, and the city is amongst the fastest growing in southern Italy. Matera01.jpg File:Ita11141 01.jpg, Interior of a cave house File:Ita11141 04.jpg File:Matera casamuseo.jpg File:Ita11175 07.jpg File:Casa Grotta (3).jpg File:Matera, chiesa rupestre di santo spirito.jpg, Exterior of a cave church File:Ita11175 08.jpg, Interior of a cave church File:Ita11175 01.jpg


Monasteries and churches

Matera preserves a large and diverse collection of buildings related to the Christian faith, including a large number of rupestrian churches carved from the calcarenite rock of the region. These churches, which are also found in the neighbouring region of
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
, were listed in the
1998 World Monuments Watch The World Monuments Watch is a flagship advocacy program of the New York-based private non-profit organization World Monuments Fund (WMF) and American Express to call to action and challenge government authorities responsible for important cultura ...
by the World Monuments Fund. Matera Cathedral (1268–1270) has been dedicated to Santa Maria della Bruna since 1389. Built in an Apulian Romanesque architectural style, the church has a 52 m tall bell tower, and next to the main gate is a statue of the Maria della Bruna, backed by those of Saints Peter and Paul. The main feature of the façade is the rose window, divided by sixteen small columns. The interior is on the Latin cross plan, with a nave and two aisles. The decoration is mainly from the 18th century Baroque restoration, but recently a Byzantine-style 14th-century fresco portraying the '' Last Judgement'' has been discovered. Two other important churches in Matera, both dedicated to the Apostle Peter, are
San Pietro Caveoso San Pietro Caveoso, also known as "Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church" is a Catholic church situated in the Sassi of Matera. The front is in the baroque style and presents three portals. Over each portal there is a niche with statues. They show ...
(in the ''Sasso Caveoso'') and San Pietro Barisano (in the ''Sasso Barisano''). San Pietro Barisano was recently restored in a project by the World Monuments Fund, funded by
American Express American Express Company (Amex) is an American multinational corporation specialized in payment card services headquartered at 200 Vesey Street in the Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. The company was found ...
. The main altar and the interior frescoes were cleaned, and missing pieces of moldings, reliefs, and other adornments were reconstructed from photographic archives or surrounding fragments. There are many other churches and monasteries dating back throughout the history of the Christian church. Some are simple caves with a single altar, occasionally accompanied by a fresco, often located on the opposite side of the ravine. Some are complex cave networks with large underground chambers, thought to have been used for meditation by the rupestrian and cenobitic monks.


Cisterns and water collection

Matera was built above a deep ravine called Gravina of Matera that divides the territory into two areas. Matera was built such that it is hidden, but made it difficult to provide a water supply to its inhabitants. Early dwellers invested tremendous energy in building
cistern A cistern (Middle English ', from Latin ', from ', "box", from Greek ', "basket") is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by t ...
s and systems of water channels. The largest cistern has been found under Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the Palombaro Lungo which was built in 1832. With its solid pillars carved from the rock and a vault height of more than fifteen metres, it is a veritable water cathedral, which is navigable by boat. Like other cisterns in the town, it collected rainwater that was filtered and flowed in a controlled way to the Sassi. There were also a large number of little superficial canals that fed pools and hanging gardens. Moreover, many bell-shaped cisterns in dug houses were filled up by seepage. Later, when the population increased, many of these cisterns were turned into houses and other kinds of water-harvesting systems were realised. Some of these more recent facilities have the shape of houses submerged in the earth.


Natural areas

The Murgia National Park (Parco della Murgia Materana), a regional park established in 1990, includes the territory of the
Gravina di Matera The Gravina di Matera is a river in the Apulia and Basilicata regions of southern Italy. Its source is between Altamura and Gravina in Puglia in the province of Bari. The river flows southeast and curves east before again flowing southeast. I ...
and about 150 rock churches scattered along the slopes of the ravines and the plateau of the Murgia. This area, inhabited since prehistoric times, still preserves stationing dating back to the Paleolithic, such as the Grotta dei pipistrelli (cave of the bats), and to the Neolithic. The symbol of the park is the lesser kestrel. The San Giuliano Regional Reserve, a protected area established in 2000, includes Lake San Giuliano, an artificial reservoir created by the damming of the Bradano river, and the river sections upstream and downstream of it.


Timmari

Colle di Timmari, a green plateau located about 15 km from the city, dominates the Bradano valley and the San Giuliano lake. It is a pleasant residential area, and on the top of the hill there is the small Sanctuary of San Salvatore, dating back to 1310, and an important archaeological area. File:Gravina di Matera (2).jpg, Gravina di Matera File:Matera 2.jpg, Murgia National Park with prehistoric caves and rupestrian churches File:Cavalli nel parco della Murgia.jpg, Horses in the Murgia National Park File:Parco della Murgia Materana 15.jpg, File:Parco della Murgia Materana 10.jpg, File:Villaggio Saraceno2.JPG, Saracen village File:San Luca alla Selva.JPG, Cave church of San Luca alla Selva File:Lago San Giuliano.jpg, San Giuliano Regional Reserve


Other sights

File:Castello Tramontano 2 Matera.jpg, The Tramontano Castle File:Matera BW 2016-10-15 11-08-39.jpg, Palazzo Lanfranchi File:Casa Cava interno 5.jpg, Auditorium of the culture centre ''Casa Cava'' The ''Tramontano Castle'', begun in the early 16th century by Gian Carlo Tramontano, Count of Matera, is probably the only other structure that is above ground of any great significance outside the sassi. However, the construction remained unfinished after his assassination in the popular riot of 29 December 1514. It has three large towers, while twelve were probably included in the original design. During some restoration work in the main square of the town, workers came across what were believed to be the main footings of another castle tower. However, on further excavation large Roman cisterns were unearthed. Whole house structures were discovered where one can see how the people of that era lived. The '' Palazzo dell'Annunziata'' is a historical building on the main square, seat of Provincial Library.


Culture

On 17 October 2014, Matera was declared European Capital of Culture for 2019, together with Bulgaria's second-largest city,
Plovdiv Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the c ...
.


Cuisine

The cuisine of Matera is a typical "cucina povera" ( peasant food) from Southern Italy. It features a sort of blend of Basilicata and
Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...
's cuisines being in a border area between the two regions. Some specialties are "
peperoni cruschi The peperone crusco ('crispy pepper', peperoni cruschi) also known as 'crusco pepper', is a typical product of the Italian region of Basilicata. It is recognized as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (traditional regional food product). Bei ...
", a sweet and dry pepper variety very popular in Basilicata, and "Pane di Matera", a type of bread recognizable for its intense flavour and conical shape, granted
Protected Geographical Indication Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect nam ...
(PGI) status. Matera produces an eponymous wine which bears the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) designation. Some dishes from the local cuisine include: *''Crapiata'', a peasant soup with chickpeas, beans, broad beans, wheat, lentils, cicerchie. An old recipe dating to the Roman period, later enriched with other ingredients such as potatoes, it is a common ritual grown into "Sassi di Matera" and celebrated on 1 August *'' Orecchiette alla materana'', baked orecchiette-pasta seasoned with tomatoes, lamb, mozzarella and Pecorino cheese *''
Pasta con i peperoni cruschi Pasta con i peperoni cruschi is an Italian pasta dish flavored with peppers and typical of the Basilicata region. Description The main ingredient is peperone crusco, a dried and crunchy pepper known for its sweet flavour and intense colour, ...
'', a pasta dish with
peperoni cruschi The peperone crusco ('crispy pepper', peperoni cruschi) also known as 'crusco pepper', is a typical product of the Italian region of Basilicata. It is recognized as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (traditional regional food product). Bei ...
and fried breadcrumb. Grated cheese or turnip greens can be added. *''Cialedda'', a frugal recipe with stale bread as a main ingredient. It can be "calda" (hot) with egg, bay leaves, garlic and olives or "fredda" (cold) with tomatoes and garlic. *''Pignata'', sheep meat with potatoes, onion, tomatoes and celery cooked in the "pignata", a terracotta pot shaped like an amphora. *''Strazzate'', crumbly biscuits prepared with egg, almonds and coffee


Cinema

Because of the ancient primeval-looking scenery in and around the Sassi, it has been used by filmmakers as the setting for ancient Jerusalem. The following famous biblical period motion pictures were filmed in Matera: * Pier Paolo Pasolini's '' The Gospel According to St. Matthew'' (1964) * Bruce Beresford's ''
King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
'' (1985) * Mel Gibson's '' The Passion of the Christ'' (2004) * Abel Ferrara's '' Mary'' (2005) *
Catherine Hardwicke Helen Catherine HardwickeAccording to the State of Texas. ''Texas Birth Index, 1903–1997''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. (born October 21, 1955) is an American film director, p ...
's ''
The Nativity Story ''The Nativity Story'' is a 2006 American biblical drama film based on the nativity of Jesus and directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac, Hiam Abbass, Shaun Toub, Alexander Siddig, Ciarán Hinds, and Shoh ...
'' (2006) * Cyrus Nowrasteh's '' The Young Messiah'' (2016) * Timur Bekmambetov's ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to: Fiction *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace ** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899 ** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
'' (2016) * Garth Davis's ''
Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cru ...
'' (2018) Other movies filmed in the city include: *
Mario Volpe Mario Aldo Volpe (1936 – 2013 ) was a Colombian artist who lived in Switzerland for more than forty years. His artistic work spanned half a century and included around 3,000 abstract works on paper, board and canvas, mostly acrylic, ink, enamel ...
's '' Le due sorelle'' (1950) *
Alberto Lattuada Alberto Lattuada (; 13 November 1914 – 3 July 2005) was an Italian film director. Career Lattuada was born in Vaprio d'Adda, the son of composer Felice Lattuada. He was initially interested in literature, becoming, while still a student, a mem ...
's '' La lupa'' (1953) * Roberto Rossellini's '' Garibaldi'' (1961) * Luigi Zampa's ''
Roaring Years ''Roaring Years'' ( it, Gli anni ruggenti) is a 1962 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Zampa, set in the 1930s during the Fascist period of Benito Mussolini. It stars Nino Manfredi and Gino Cervi, and was inspired by the satirical comedy "T ...
'' (1962) * Brunello Rondi's '' Il demonio'' (1963) * Nanni Loy's '' Made in Italy'' (1965) * Francesco Rosi's ''
More Than a Miracle ''More Than a Miracle'' ( it, C'era una volta) is a 1967 film also titled ''Cinderella Italian Style'' and ''Happily Ever After''. It stars Sophia Loren, Omar Sharif and Dolores del Río. The movie has a fairy tale narrative. Filmed in the count ...
'' (1967) * Lucio Fulci's '' Don't Torture a Duckling'' (1972) * Roberto Rossellini's ''
Anno uno ''Anno uno'' (internationally released as ''Year One'' and ''Italy: Year One'') is a 1974 Italian biographical film directed by Roberto Rossellini. The film tells the story of the political reconstruction of post-fascist Italy between 1944 and 19 ...
'' (1974) *
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Paolo Taviani (; born 8 November 1931) and Vittorio Taviani (; 20 September 1929 – 15 April 2018), collectively referred to as the Taviani brothers, were Italian film directors and screenwriters who collaborated on film productions. At the C ...
's ''
Allonsanfàn ''Allonsanfàn'' () is a 1974 Italian historical drama film written and directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. The title of the film, which is also the name of a character, comes from the first words (french: Allons enfants, lit=Arise, children) o ...
'' (1974) * Fernando Arrabal's ''
The Tree of Guernica ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
'' (1975) *
Carlo Di Palma Carlo Di Palma (17 April 19259 July 2004) was an Italian cinematographer, renowned for his work on both color and black-and-white films, whose most famous collaborations were with Michelangelo Antonioni and Woody Allen. Early life Carlo Di Palma ...
's ''
Qui comincia l'avventura ''Qui comincia l'avventura'', or ''Blonde in Black Leather'' in its English-language version, is a 1975 Italian film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visu ...
'' (1975) * Francesco Rosi's ''
Christ Stopped at Eboli ''Christ Stopped at Eboli'' ( it, Cristo si è fermato a Eboli) is a memoir by Carlo Levi, published in 1945, giving an account of his exile from 1935-1936 to Grassano and Aliano, remote towns in southern Italy, in the region of Lucania which is ...
'' (1979) * Francesco Rosi's '' Three Brothers'' (1981) *
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Paolo Taviani (; born 8 November 1931) and Vittorio Taviani (; 20 September 1929 – 15 April 2018), collectively referred to as the Taviani brothers, were Italian film directors and screenwriters who collaborated on film productions. At the C ...
's ''
The Sun Also Shines at Night ''The Sun Also Shines at Night'' ( it, Il sole anche di notte, and also known as ''Night Sun'') is an Italian film directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani in 1990. It was screened out of competition at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. The plot is ...
'' (1990) *
Giuseppe Tornatore Giuseppe Tornatore (born 27 May 1956) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. He is considered one of the directors who brought critical acclaim back to Italian cinema.Katz, Ephraim, "Italy," ''The Film Encyclopedia'' (New York: HarperRes ...
's '' The Star Maker'' (1995) * John Moore's '' The Omen'' (2006) * Liu Jiang's '' Let's Get Married'' (2015) *
Matteo Rovere Matteo Rovere (born 22 January 1982) is an Italian director, screenwriter and producer. He's the youngest Italian film-maker to have won the Nastro d'argento for best producer, with ''I Can Quit Whenever I Want''. Life and career Born in Rome ...
's ''
Italian Race ''Italian Race'' ( it, Veloce come il vento) is a 2016 Italian sports-drama film written and directed by Matteo Rovere. It is loosely based on the true story of rally racing driver Carlo Capone. Plot The passion for engines has always flowed in ...
'' (2016) *
Patty Jenkins Patricia Lea Jenkins (born July 24, 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. She has directed the feature films ''Monster'' (2003), ''Wonder Woman'' (2017), and ''Wonder Woman 1984'' (2020). For the film ''Monster'', she w ...
's '' Wonder Woman'' (2017) * Cary Joji Fukunaga's '' No Time to Die'' (2021) - the 25th James Bond film


Music

Matera appears in the music videos for the songs " Sun Goes Down" (2014) by Robin Schulz and " Spit Out the Bone" (2016) by
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
.


Religious traditions

The Feast of the Madonna della Bruna, held in Matera on 2 July each year, is notable for its religious procession featuring an ornamented chariot which is then pulled apart by spectators. The origins of the festival are not well known, because its story has changed while being handed down from generation to generation. One of these legends says that a woman asked a farmer to go up on his wagon to accompany her to Matera. When she arrived to the periphery of the city, she got off the wagon and asked farmer to take her message to the bishop. In this message she said she was Christ's mother. The bishop, the clergy and the folk rushed to receive the Virgin, but they found a statue. So the statue of Madonna entered in the city on a triumphal wagon. Another legend talks about a destruction of the wagon: Saracens besiege Matera and the citizens, to protect the painting of Madonna, hid it on a little wagon. They then destroyed the wagon to keep the Saracens from taking the painting. Different hypotheses are attributed to the name of ''Madonna della Bruna'' : the first says that the noun derives from the Lombard high-medieval term ''brùnja'' (armor/protection of knights). So the name might mean ''Madonna of defense''. Another hypothesis is that the name comes from ''herbon'', a city of Giudea, where the Virgin went to visit her cousin Elisabetta. A third hypothesis says that the name comes from the colour of the Virgin's face. The profane insertions such as the ''navalis'' wagon and its violent destruction, along with the intimacy and the religious solemnity, suggest this festival shares roots with ancient traditions of other Mediterranean countries. For example, in Greek culture, wedding parties also celebrate with a triumphal wagon (''ships on wheels'' richly designed). The Madonna's sculpture is located in a case in the transept of the cathedral dedicated to her, where there is also a fresco that portrays her. It dates back to the 13th century and it belongs to the Byzantine school.


Notable people

*
Luigi De Canio Luigi De Canio (born 26 September 1957) is an Italian football manager and a former player who played as a full-back. Career Player De Canio, a full back, played mostly with Serie C1 and Serie C2 teams, his lone season in Serie B being 1979– ...
(1957), football manager *
Egidio Romualdo Duni Egidio Romualdo Duni (or ''Egide Romuald Duny''; 11 February 1708 – 11 June 1775) was an Italian composer who studied in Naples and worked in Italy, France and London, writing both Italian and French operas. Biography Born in Matera, Duni was ...
(1708–1775), composer * Emanuele Gaudiano (1986), show jumping rider *
Cosimo Fusco Cosimo Massimo Fusco (born 23 September 1962) is an Italian actor. Biography Born in Matera, Italy, Fusco was educated in Los Angeles, Rome, and Paris. He is best known for his role as Paolo, one of Rachel's boyfriends in the American sitcom ...
(1962), actor *
John of Matera John of Matera or Mathera, also known as John of Pulsano ( it, San Giovanni da Matera) was a Benedictine monk. Life John was born at Matera to a family of nobles. As a young man he moved to Taranto where he asked for hospitality and work from th ...
(1070–1139), Benedictine monk and saint *
Enzo Masiello Enzo Masiello (born 5 March 1969) is an Italian Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete who also formerly competed as a long distance runner at the Summer Paralympics. He has competed at the Paralympics in 6 occasions representing Italy bo ...
(1969), Paralympic athlete *
Antonio Persio Antonio Persio (17 May 1542 – 11 February 1612) was an Italian philosopher of the Platonic school who opposed the Aristotelianism which predominated in the universities of his time. He was a member of the Accademia dei Lincei and an associate ...
(1542–1612), philosopher * Tommaso Stigliani (1573–1651), poet and writer * Giovanni Carlo Tramontano (1451–1514), nobleman


Transportation

Matera is the terminal station of the Bari–Matera, a narrow gauge railroad managed by Ferrovie Appulo Lucane. The nearest airport is
Bari Airport Bari ( , ; nap, label= Barese, Bare ; lat, Barium) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, southern Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy a ...
. Matera is connected to the A14 Bologna-Taranto motorway through the SS99 national road. It is also served by the SS407, SS665 and SS106 national road. Bus connection to Italy's main cities is provided by private firms.


Sports

* Football Club Matera * Olimpia Matera, a basketball team


Twin towns – sister cities

Matera is twinned with: *
Oulu Oulu ( , ; sv, Uleåborg ) is a city, municipality and a seaside resort of about 210,000 inhabitants in the region of North Ostrobothnia, Finland. It is the most populous city in northern Finland and the fifth most populous in the country after: ...
, Finland *
Petra Petra ( ar, ٱلْبَتْرَاء, Al-Batrāʾ; grc, Πέτρα, "Rock", Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu or Raqēmō, is an historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is adjacent to t ...
, Jordan * Toms River, United States


Gallery

Cittadimatera1.jpg IMGMater 1747.JPG Matera BW 2016-10-15 13-31-33.jpg, Via Ridola Matera BW 2016-10-15 13-04-18.jpg, Via Bruno Buozzi Museo archeologico nazionale di matera, una sala 01.jpg, Domenico Ridola archeological museum Matera palazzo dell'Annunziata.JPG, Palazzo dell'Annunziata Matera BW 2016-10-15 13-19-13.jpg, Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi Matera - Convento di Sant'Agostino.JPG, Church of San Agostino Matera san giovanni.JPG, Church of San Giovanni Battista 3164San Pietro Caveoso.jpg, San Pietro Caveoso


See also

*
Church of San Leonardo (Matera) The Church of San Leonardo, it, Chiesa di San Leonardo, italic=no, is a cave church in the rione of Sasso Caveoso of Matera, in Basilicata in southern Italy. It takes its name from a fresco of Saint Leonard of Noblac, San Leonardo. The church ...
* Matera Centrale railway station


References


Other sources

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External links


Travel Video promotion APT Basilicata



Museo Laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina

BBC News: Italian cave city goes hi-tech
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Basilicata Populated places established in the 3rd century BC World Heritage Sites in Italy