Not every view of the gorge has a name and a railing. Along the lower edges of both Sassi the Gravina opens again and again – often at spots that appear in no guidebook.
What this is about
Matera’s well-known viewpoints show the city. This one shows what the city sits on: the Gravina, a deeply cut valley with vertical limestone walls, at the bottom of which the stream has eaten its way through the rock. Without this gorge there would be no Sassi – it provided shelter, building material and the caves from which everything else grew.
Where to see it best
Along the lower edge of both districts. In the Sasso Caveoso at Porta Pistola and further south towards Casalnuovo; in the Sasso Barisano along Via Madonna delle Virtù. Both paths run lengthways above the gorge and release it at intervals – see The lanes of the Sassi.
The widest view remains the one from the other side, from the Belvedere Murgia Timone. From there you see city and gorge together.
What you can make out
In the walls opposite, dark openings are visible: caves, some natural, some cut, along with rock churches and old sheepfolds. Birds of prey circle regularly above the gorge – they use the updraught along the walls, which is why you see them at almost any time of day.
Take care
The edges are unsecured in many places and the rock is worn smooth in patches. In wet weather keep your distance. If you are photographing, avoid the step backwards – the most common mistake at exactly these spots.
Read on
- Gravina di Matera – the gorge as a whole
- Porta Pistola – the best known of these points
- Viewpoints in Matera – all the views compared
