Sassi

The Sassi are the ancient cave-dwelling quarters of Matera, a city in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The area comprises two districts, Sasso Caveoso and Sasso Barisano, built into the limestone cliffs above the Gravina di Matera. Houses, staircases, wells, courtyards, and rupestrian (rock-cut) churches form a dense, interconnected urban fabric that blends with the natural landscape.

Human settlement in the Sassi spans millennia, with substantial development during the medieval period when the communities organized around religious institutions and public life. The cave dwellings were gradually expanded and carved directly into the rock, creating multi-storey homes and intimate, narrow streets. The religious heritage includes numerous rock-cut churches whose frescoes range from late antiquity to the medieval era.

In the mid-20th century, the Sassi suffered from extreme poverty, inadequate sanitation, and deteriorating living conditions, leading to the evacuation of many residents in the 1950s. Subsequent restoration and adaptive reuse transformed many caves into residential spaces, museums, hotels, and cultural venues, while preserving the historic character of the area. The site gained international recognition in 1993 when UNESCO inscribed “The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera” as a World Heritage Site.

Today, the Sassi are a major cultural and tourist attraction, illustrating a unique example of troglodyte urbanism and rock-cut religious architecture. The district’s preservation has been tied to ongoing urban renewal, archaeological research, and the use of cave spaces for contemporary life, education, and culture. Matera's 2019 designation as European Capital of Culture further highlighted the Sassi’s significance.