Sasso Caveoso Guided Tour

Sasso Caveoso Guided Tour

In this guided tour of Sasso Caveoso, we will explore one of the oldest neighborhoods of Sassi di Matera, focusing on the unique cave churches and cave houses that define this ancient district.

We will meet at Via Domenico Ridola, 61, to begin the tour of this prominent district in Matera. The tour starts with an introduction to the historical, architectural, and anthropological aspects of Sassi di Matera, including the significance of the term "sassi," which refers to the rock-carved houses.

We will then proceed to Sasso Caveoso, visiting the baroque church of San Pietro Caveoso and the Cave House, where we will learn about the lifestyles of the ancient inhabitants. We will discuss the abandonment of these traditional dwellings by the materanos in the 1950s due to laws instituted by President De Gasperi. Following this, we will explore the cave churches, rock-hewn temples dating from the 10th to the 13th centuries.

Our next stop will be at Il Bottegaccio, a workshop showcasing traditional craftsmanship in ceramics and papier-mâché. The tour will conclude with a tasting of local products.

After 2 hours of exploration in this intriguing district, we will return to the starting point to conclude the tour.