Spirits from times long past greeted me as I wandered down the narrow streets of Matera, at the same time walking in front of someone's house and on top of another. The buildings march up the steep walls of the Gravina, which had been inhabited since Neolithic times. The earliest settlers lived in caves they found in the calcareous rocks. Later residents modified the caves into nicer homes, and built the blocky structures that you see above. The Gravina provided a protected area for the people living in dangerous times.
People were removed from the area in the 1950's because modernizing the homes and creating healthy, safe living conditions was difficult. Soul-less apartment buildings were much more efficient. Today, with the addition of electricity and plumbing, people consider the area quite charming and create a peaceful lifestyle among the spirits of millenia.
We were fortunate to enter one of the Sassi homes created in a cave. Below you can see the kitchen and the main room along with a picture of the large family that inhabited the home.
Byzantine churches are also found in the caves, graced with arches and paintings.
Above the Gravina is a vibrant town with a town square that is a lovely place for a quick wine refresher!
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