The small square in front of Palazzo Lanfranchi is probably the most photographed point in the city – and with good reason: from here the whole Sasso Caveoso lies in view.
What is in the frame
From Piazzetta Pascoli you look out over the entire Sasso Caveoso: the terraced roofs, the Monterrone crag with Santa Maria de Idris, and behind them the gorge and the slopes of the Murgia. It is one of the few points where all the layers of the city are visible at once – rock, cave, house, church, gorge.
Why it is so easy to reach
The square lies at the edge of the upper town, directly in front of Palazzo Lanfranchi, and is a few steps from Via Ridola – level, no stairs. For anyone who finds steps difficult, it is, along with the Belvedere Luigi Guerricchio, the most important viewpoint in the city.
When it is worth it
In the morning the slope is still in shadow – quiet and cool, but flat in the light. In the afternoon it is lit head-on and the terraces come out in relief. At sunset it gets crowded; if you want quiet, come early or after dark, when the lights of the Sassi come on and the square empties again.
Nearby
Palazzo Lanfranchi with the regional museum stands right beside it, Via Ridola leads back into the upper town with cafés and museums, and steps take you straight down into the Sasso Caveoso from here. If you take the descent, allow for the climb back.
Read on
- Palazzo Lanfranchi – the museum right beside it
- Via Ridola – the level route there
- Viewpoints in Matera – all the views compared
