World Heritage Identification Number: 670
World Heritage since: 1993
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇮🇹 Italy
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera: A Unique Troglodyte Settlement in Southern Italy
The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera, located in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, is a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers a unique glimpse into human history. This site is renowned for its troglodyte settlements, which are cave dwellings carved into the soft tufa rock, dating back to the Paleolithic era.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This is the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the Palaeolithic, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history. Matera is in the southern region of Basilicata.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iii): The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera represent an outstanding example of a rock-cut settlement, adapted perfectly to its geomorphological setting and ecosystem and exhibiting continuity over more than two millennia.
Criterion (iv): The town and park constitute an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble and landscape illustrating a number of significant stages in human history.
Criterion (v): The town and park represent an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement and land-use showing the evolution of a culture which has maintained a harmonious relationship with its natural environment over time.
Encyclopedia Record: Sassi di Matera
The Sassi di Matera are two districts of the Italian city of Matera, Basilicata, well-known for their ancient cave dwellings inhabited since the Paleolithic period.Additional Site Details
Area: 1,016 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 40.66638889 , 16.61027778
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© Bönisch, CC BY-SA 2.0 de Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Evaluation of Calcarenite Degradation by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Analysis inside the Rupestrian Church of San Pietro Barisano (Matera, Southern Italy)
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals distinct degradation products on the calcarenite surfaces of San Pietro Barisano, a rupestrian church within Matera's UNESCO-listed Sassi district. This study identifies biotic and abiotic degradation indicators, offering a diagnostic framework for preserving such heritage sites. By comparing degraded samples to reference calcarenite, researchers link findings to local environmental factors and historical context, enabling targeted conservation strategies under the National Smart Cities research project.
Cardellicchio, F., Acquavia, M. A., Curcio, M., & Salvi, A. M. (2024). Evaluation of Calcarenite Degradation by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Analysis inside the Rupestrian Church of San Pietro Barisano (Matera, Southern Italy). Sustainability, 16(11), 4634. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114634
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La conoscenza per il recupero dei ‘valori’ del passato: il caso della chiesa della Madonna delle Vergini a Matera
The Church of the Madonna delle Vergini, a 16th-century rupestrian church within Matera’s UNESCO-listed Park of the Rupestrian Churches, stands as a living testament to the region's historical and cultural evolution. This study highlights its role as a fragile yet invaluable repository of ancient traditions, now largely lost, which are critical for understanding the interplay between human settlement and natural landscapes in the Sassi district. By employing multidisciplinary analysis, researchers aim to recover these intangible and material values, offering new pathways for preserving and appreciating Matera’s religious and rupestrian heritage. The approach underscores the necessity of integrating historical, artistic, and archaeological perspectives to inform sustainable conservation strategies that balance past significance with contemporary enjoyment.
Pagliuca, A., & D’Angiulli, G. (2023). La conoscenza per il recupero dei ‘valori’ del passato: il caso della chiesa della Madonna delle Vergini a Matera. Restauro Archeologico, 30(1). https://doi.org/10.36253/rar-14333
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The Integrated Survey for Excavated Architectures: The Complex of Casalnuovo District Within the World Heritage Site “Sassi” (Matera, Italy)
A unique urban phenomenon in Matera, Italy, characterized by the volumetric material identity and special construction conditions of its excavated architectures, has been identified. This phenomenon, developed over time under stable environmental conditions, showcases a spontaneous harmonious balance between building artifacts and their calcareous host texture. The study employed an integrated survey approach using non-destructive techniques such as digital photogrammetry, total station, laser scanner, and thermography to create a three-dimensional computer model. This model aids in the diagnosis and preservation of the integrity of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, combining traditional and innovative methods within a dialectic between memory and design.
Cardinale, T., Valva, R., & Lucarelli, M. (2015). THE INTEGRATED SURVEY FOR EXCAVATED ARCHITECTURES: THE COMPLEX OF CASALNUOVO DISTRICT WITHIN THE WORLD HERITAGE SITE “SASSI” (MATERA, ITALY). The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XL-5/W4, 403–409. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-xl-5-w4-403-2015
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Landslide susceptibility assessment by using a neuro-fuzzy model: a case study in the Rupestrian heritage rich area of Matera
A novel neuro-fuzzy model successfully mapped landslide susceptibility in the UNESCO-listed Natural Archaeological Park of Matera, Italy. This approach combined neural network training with fuzzy logic to analyze slope instability parameters—such as curvature, elevation, lithology, and fracture density—and produced a high-accuracy susceptibility map validated through ROC analysis, confusion matrix, and SCAI methods. The model outperformed traditional techniques by integrating sensitivity analysis to address uncertainties in membership functions, offering a robust tool for heritage risk assessment in complex, rupestrian landscapes.
Sdao, F., Lioi, D. S., Pascale, S., Caniani, D., & Mancini, I. M. (2013). Landslide susceptibility assessment by using a neuro-fuzzy model: a case study in the Rupestrian heritage rich area of Matera. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 13(2), 395–407. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-13-395-2013
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