Cisterns, oil mills and cave churches: guided routes through what lies beneath the city – and what you would never guess from above.
The second city
Beneath Matera lies a second network of rooms: water stores, cellars, workshops, oil mills and churches. Part of it is accessible through guided tours offered under the name “Matera Sotterranea”. The term does not describe a single site but an offering by several operators with different routes.
What you see
Usually a combination of a large cistern, a hypogeum beneath a square and a rock church. Some tours add an underground oil mill. The distances are short but uneven and in places low; you have to duck here and there.
Why a guide is worth it
Unlike a museum, these rooms do not explain themselves. A basin in the floor, a groove in the wall, a step left standing – all of it had a function you cannot see without explanation. Know the context and you walk through the city differently afterwards.
Practical
Underground it is cool all year – a relief in summer, cold in winter. Sturdy shoes and a light jacket make sense, as does booking ahead; there is rarely anything free at short notice. For people with limited mobility most routes are unsuitable.
Read on
- Palombaro Lungo – the best-known stop
- The cisterns of the Sassi – the background to the water system
- Casa Cava – a quarry that is now a hall
