Matera, Basilicata
Lucani in the world
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Matera, the city
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Matera, at a Glance
With a population of around 55,000 inhabitants, Matera has an altitude of 401 meters (1315 ft.) above sea level and is distant 45 kilometers (28 mi) from the sea. The city is organised by three areas dated back to different historical periods. The oldest, called the Sassi is joined by a spur from the Civita to the Cathedral; the Medieval - Renaissance area is developed alongside the "Plan" on the edge of the Sassi; then, the Modern city, elegant districts designed by some of the most famous Italian architects.
Matera is a very alive and creative, a city of our times, a bearer of a culture that thrives on contemporary events and ancient history. Many are the symbols and the churches of Matera built between the thirteenth and nineteenth century, largely inspired by the echoes of baroque architecture; yet, the oldest are St. John , St. Dominic and the Duomo with an intense influences of the Apulian-Romanesque culture. This shows that while there were laure (ancient Byzantine shelters) and the caves, Matera developed a parallel civilised life open to relations with neighboring populations.
History
Matera is an ancient city and its origin can be found in the meander of the prehistory age. For the characteristic substrate housing, consisting of caves dug into the tuff rock, Matera is known as the “underground city” and for the continuity of living in its dwellings, from the Paleolithic period to the nowadays, it is considered one of the oldest city in the world.
Initially, groups of nomadic peoples appeared on the Murgia, followed by others communities dedicated to the pastoralism. The latter communities were attracted in this area by the existing traditional tank of water called Lurio and afterwards, they occupied caves organizing themselves into entrenched villages on the Murgia Timone, on Murgecchia and on the hill of "Civita". The settlement of the Civita is considered as the nucleus of the future city of Matera. In this regard, important is the study of the archaeologist Domenico Ridola, in which is demonstrated the antiquity and continuity through the historical stratigraphy of the city. Coincidentally, by preparing the foundations of a building nearby the Cathedral it was discovered, layer by layer, the various periods of the Matera’s history. At a level of 6 meters (20 ft.), they found the risen city from the ruins of barbarian invasions, Saracen and Christian tombs carved into the tuff rock. Further down, they found fragments of statues, capitals, columns indicating the previous period and coins showing the Byzantine dominance. Following the lower layer, they found Greek and Roman pottery’s shards. In the last layer, 10 meters (33 ft.) deep, they found fragments of pottery dating back to the early Iron Age, similar to ones found into Murgia Timone , Murgecchia and other local stations. In addition to these eloquent stratigraphic records, the historical events of Matera are highlighted by the abundant and interesting historical findings collected in the National Museum of Matera (Museo Nazionale di Matera), where it is possible to observe findings of the Lower Paleolithic era, Greek and Roman, up to 10th century, even though some historical gaps might be detected.
Henceforth a little historical digression of the city, Matera reached its first identity when it was occupied by the Greek colonies followed by the Roman domination. In 568, there were the Lombards’ invations; in 612, the Lombards were defeated with the help of Constantius III, the Emperor of Constantinople; afterwards, in 664 Matera became part of the Duchy of Benevento. In 867, the city falls again into the hands of the Lombards, attacked by the Saracens, the Lombards asked for the intervention of the Emperor Louis II the Younger, which burned and then rebuild the city once again. In 938, Matera undergoes other incursions and depredations of the Saracens. Contended by the Salernitani and conquered by Otto I; in 978, Matera passed under the Greeks control; In 994, it was rebuilt after an earthquake; yet, it was still for a long time besieged by the Saracens. After that, the Normans had the County of Matera as an independent state. In 1043, the first count was William, followed by the Altavilla (the leadership of Robert is left to the Matera Crusaders for joining the arrays of Bohemond). Faithful to Frederick II, unwillingly adapted to the domination of the House of Anjou he hoped the truce under the Aragonese. The Aragonese formally promised to keep Matera dependent, but often this commitment was not respected, for instance, serious consequences were registered after the sale of the Count of Matera to Giancarlo Tramontano, who hated by the entire population was slain in 1514.
The alternating of freedom and subjection, with various vicissitudes of redemptions and sales, Matera became part of the Terra d' Otranto, in 1663; the city was chosen as the seat of the Royal Audience of the region of Basilicata and aggregated to it remained the capital until the 1806. From 1927 Matera was again elevated to the Provincial Capital of the Basilicata, currently composed by 31 municipalities.
Source
The website of the Municipality of Matera
How to get there
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By Flight
Bari Palese Airport (50 km.) + Shuttle service from the Airport to Matera
Matera-Bari: 4:55 (6:10), 10:45 (12:00), 13:00 (14:15), 17:10 (18:25), 20:30 (21.45)
Bari-Matera: 00:30 (1:45), 9:15 (10:30), 14:40 (15:55), 15:45 (17:00), 19:15 (20:30)
To book the shuttle: pugliairbus.aeroportidipuglia.it
By train
Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL) or Trenitalia. Trenitalia doesn't arrive in Matera, the nearest train station is Metaponto, or Ferrandina. There's a shuttle service to and from these stations.
By bus
Service from Marino, Marozzi anche Liscio private companies.
By car
If you are coming from the Tyrrhenian coast
Take the motorway A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria, exit at Sicignano Alburni (Sa) and follow the signs for power. Then continue in the direction along the SS 407 Basentana Metaponto, Matera take exit (immediately after Ferrandina) onto the SP 99, and continue for about 30 km.
If you are coming from the Adriatic coast
Take the motorway Bologna-Taranto exit Bari Nord. Continue to the industrial area on the SP 96 and 99 Altamura-Matera.
If you are coming from the Ionian coast of Calabria, or Sicily
Use the A3 Salerno-Reggio Calabria, exit at Sybaris and take the SS 106 towards Taranto. Near Metaponto, Matera take the exit and follow the signs.
If you are coming from the Ionian coast of Puglia
Take the SS 106 towards Taranto. Exceeded Taranto, continue on SS 106 and near Metaponto, Matera take the exit and follow the signs.
Why Matera 2019
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Why would the city of Matera want to represent European culture in 2019? From the ‘50s onwards Matera has been an important place for experimentation and innovation. It has attracted great filmmakers and artists, and it has been a fertile ground for successful collaboration between locals and those from outside the community. Matera has made great efforts in becoming the first city in the South of Italy to be included as a World Heritage site; once an unacknowledged city, it is now one of the most outstanding cities of art to visit; although Matera is a city which has implemented a number of important regeneration schemes, as yet it has not exploited its enormous cultural potential to the full.
Being a candidate city for 2019 means endowing Matera with a new, powerful and idealogical drive to undertake the next phase in its transformation. It means being able to think of a city moving on from one phase - making its historical, cultural and architectural heritage accessible and usable for tourism - to a new phase. On the one hand this aims at attracting cultural, economic and technological talents on a permanent basis, and on the other this poses the problem of sustainability such a project entails. Matera is prepared to accept this challenge, whether it is won or not. The possibility of becoming one of the main cities for attracting both tourists and valuable mobile resources (talents and creative industries) and to specialise in service sectors can become a concrete reality. We want to build an open city, which can give carte blanche to European operators in the culture and arts sector, and create a space available for everyone. We want economic infrastructure which can lower costs, operative infrastructure which make realising your own ideas easier, using technology to speed up sharing communication and comments.
A cultural space which is truly “open”, to welcome the whole of Europe where a high culture experience can be produced in a simple and shared way. Where the public is committed and professional the institutions are always ready to add contribute to a project, and to, be an integral part of European Capital of Culture.